To Turnabout Eternally
by Ari Moriarty
Summary: For years, Miles Edgeworth and Phoenix Wright have fought both singly and together to protect others from injustice. When the well-guarded secret of Edgeworth's sexuality is exposed, however, it's up to Phoenix to remind his long-time friend and rival that everyone deserves a happy ending.
1. At Last, My Turnabout - Prologue

**Author's Note: **The following is a collection or series of stories, initially inspired by a lovely couple whom I'm worked with for several years. They've been essentially married for twenty years now, but they've only recently been able to get legally married, now that marriages between two men are being recognized in their state of residence. I came up with the idea for this first story while attending their incredibly beautiful wedding reception.

I've never tried writing this pairing before, but I'm enthusiastic about giving it a go.

I certainly hope that you enjoy what you read as much as I enjoy writing it!

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**FIRST STORY: **

**AT LAST, MY TURNABOUT**

**by Ari Moriarty**

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**Prologue: Everything I Do, I Do It For You**

**July 19****th****, 2028**

**2;00 PM**

**The Gatewater Hotel Ballroom**

The wedding ceremony was over, and the bride and groom had said their vows. The wedding guests, along with the already exhausted and slightly tipsy bridal party were all seated at their assigned tables behind their meager portions of grilled chicken, fancily prepared salad and chocolate dessert while the DJ played love songs, and the bride and groom prepared to dance their very first dance as a married couple.

"Ladies and gentlemen," announced the DJ. "May I present to you the new Mr. and Mrs. Richard and Maggey Gumshoe!"

The whole room applauded politely but enthusiastically as Gumshoe, his big, broad face suffused with pink embarrassment, led his slightly terrified-looking bride out onto the floor.

"Aw," whispered Trucy, beaming and squeezing her father's arm. "They're so cute!"

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix nodding. "They do look pretty perfect together, huh?"

Gumshoe's tuxedo jacket was at least three sizes too large and was already stained with about half the food from the wedding buffet. Even while gazing adoringly on her new husband, Maggey was standing to perfect attention.

_Some things never change, _thought Phoenix nostalgically, as the wedding song began to play and Gumshoe abruptly realized that he didn't know how to dance. Gumshoe balked for a moment, panicked, turned around to leave the floor, and then was abruptly grabbed by Maggey and hauled back out. She put her arms around him and began to drag him through the dance far faster than the tempo indicated. Gumshoe looked shocked for a moment, and then began grinning like a madman.

"Wow," mumbled Apollo, shaking his head. "These two are bad enough on their own. Can you imagine how much trouble they're going to cause together?"

Athena shushed him. "Can you please just try to have a little fun, Pollo? Who would have thought you were so unromantic?"

_Look into my eyes, _crooned the smooth-tongued singer of whatever romantic ballad was playing. _You will see what you mean to me. Search your heart, search your soul, and when you find me there, you will search no more…_

"Jeez." Apollo rolled his eyes. "What the heck is this song?"

"It's beautiful," sighed Athena. "That's what it is. It's the perfect expression of true, pure, heartfelt love."

Apollo raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah? Have you ever been in love, Athena?"

Athena didn't miss a beat. "No, not really," she admitted, shaking her head, "but if I ever fall in love, I want it to feel just like I imagine it must feel when I listen to all the best love songs. I want love to be the kind of perfect feeling that makes you want to give up on everything else and just devote yourself to the happiness and health of one person for the rest of your life! I want love to mean that nothing else matters anymore, as long as you can be with the person you care about the most." Sighing dreamily, she tucked both hands under her chin and went back to gazing at the dancers. "Something like that, anyway."

"Oh, for the love of…" Apollo threw up his hands and shoved a bite of salad into his mouth. "You're gonna make me sick."

"Well, Daddy?" Trucy turned on her father. "Is that what it's really like to be in love? Is it just like all the songs?"

"Huh?" Phoenix turned away from the newly wed couple. "What do you mean? Why are you asking me?"

Trucy shrugged. "Well, if you've never fallen in love before, it might be time to start trying. I mean…I love you, Daddy, but you aren't getting any younger, and you're running out of time to find me a good Mommy. No pressure, of course, but…" She sighed dramatically. "I was kind of hoping to have a mommy before I turn thirty."

"Trucy," Athena reminded her, "you're only seventeen."

Trucy nodded. "I know. I'm giving Daddy a nice, long window of opportunity, just in case it takes him a while to find someone who'll put up with him. It's already been nine years, though. I'm starting to lose hope, just a little."

Suddenly, Phoenix wasn't sure that he wanted any more to do with this conversation "Uh…you know what," he muttered, getting hastily to his feet, "I, uh, think I'm gonna take another crack at the dessert table. Anyone else want anything? No? Okay, then. I'll…be right back."

Before anyone had a chance to argue, he slipped around back of the chairs and headed for the buffet.

_Love, huh? _He frowned to himself, watching as Gumshoe and Maggey continued clumsily but enthusiastically trying to dance. _I don't know. It's a nice theory, but is that really how it works? They say there's 'somebody out there for everybody,' but I guess most people never find that 'someone.' Even Maggey and Gumshoe had a hard time making the whole 'love' thing work. I mean, we had to keep her from being convicted of murder twice. What if that had happened? What if they'd locked her up? Would Gumshoe have just found someone else? It's not that easy. Maybe it's a waste of time waiting to feel just like those love songs say I should. Real 'love' takes work, I guess, and work takes time. Time's something I don't have, and I've got plenty of work as it is. Trucy might have to settle for being the only woman in my life until she's way older than thirty. That isn't really such a bad thing, is it? __  
_

Just as he was grabbing a plate and getting ready to load up on far more pastries than he was ever supposed to eat, Phoenix noticed a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye, seated all alone in the back of the room with his chair pushed as far away from the tables of chattering party guests as it could possibly be. The man in the chair had a bored, dour look on his face, and large, dark circles under his eyes.

_Huh, _thought Phoenix. _So he showed up after all._

"Hey, Edgeworth!" Phoenix headed over in his direction. "Glad you made it. Wasn't sure you would. Have you tried these? I have no idea what they are, but they're filled with cream and they're amazing. Here, have one."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "Wright," he muttered curtly. "Ah...no thank you. I do not have much of a sweet tooth."

_Yeah, I figured as much, _thought Phoenix, replacing the pastry on his plate. "That's probably for the best," he said. "Trucy says that I'm going to get fat if I keep eating this stuff."

"Hmm." Edgeworth eyed Phoenix's slim figure. "Very possibly. You should pay more attention to your daughter's good advice. Men over the age of thirty should be wary of decreasing metabolic rates, and of an increased risk of heart failure."

Phoenix eyed one particularly large cookie that he'd selected. "You sure know how to take all the fun out of life, don't you?"

Unexpectedly, Edgeworth gave Phoenix a wry little smile. "It has been said before, yes."

For a moment, they watched the dancers in companionable silence.

Eventually, Edgeworth made an exasperated little noise in the back of his throat. "This song," he mumbled, "is interminable."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "Apollo doesn't like it much, either."

"No, it isn't that." Edgeworth shook his head. "I have no particular opinion about the quality of the music. It's just that I have already been here for four hours, and I fear that at the rate we are presently going, the wedding is going to stretch on until after dinner time. I will be forced to leave conspicuously in the middle, as I have an engagement this evening. That isn't exactly the most desirable option. I'm not honestly sure why I decided to attend this over-priced social fiasco in the first place."

"Yeah, well," remarked Phoenix, chewing thoughtfully on a cookie, "you're never gonna get another chance to see Gumshoe dance, right?"

"And that," sighed Edgeworth, "is something for which I am more eternally grateful by the second. The man has a remarkable lack of grace. He is so clumsy that it is almost a talent in itself."

_Can't argue with that, _thought Phoenix. _Still, you showed up, and that' something. You can't fool me, Miles Edgeworth. Deep down, beneath that unfeeling and slightly scary maroon exterior you're actually a pretty nice guy...when you want to be.__  
_

"Lighten up," Phoenix suggested. "Have a cookie."

Edgeworth gave him a derisive little snort. "You seem to have rushed away from your table in quite a hurry," he remarked. "Apparently I'm not the only guest beginning to tire of this prolonged romantic farce."

"Uh, well," mumbled Phoenix, rubbing nervously at the back of his neck, "it's...always kind of awkward, at weddings. Trucy really likes them, you see."

Edgeworth said nothing, but he continued to watch Phoenix with a half-bored, half-expectant look on his face.

"Every time we show up at a wedding," continued Phoenix, "she starts in on me about how it's time I found her a mom, and about how she can't wait until she's dancing at my wedding, and all of that stuff. I used to think that was pretty cute, but…honestly, lately, I can't tell if she's joking or not. She gets this weird look in her eyes like maybe she's just a little serious, and that's awkward. I mean, what am I even supposed to say to that?"

"Say that you are not interested in getting married,." Edgeworth shrugged.

"Yeah, but…" Phoenix found himself starting to get flustered. "that's…not really it Not exactly, I mean…"

He trailed off, uncomfortably aware that he was getting into some very dangerous and emotional conversational territory with a man who had been referred to on several occasions as 'the heartless robot prosecutor."

"Go on," murmured Edgeworth. Phoenix couldn't tell if he was genuinely interested, or if he was just so bored at this point that he'd settle for any kind of distraction.

"Uh," continued Phoenix confusedly, "look, the truth is that I'm in my mid-thirties and I've finally got my career back on track, thanks partially to you."

Edgeworth inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"And I've got these three kids in my office that I have to supervise, if you count Trucy," Phoenix went on. "Even if I wanted to get back into the dating scene, it'd be kind of tricky at this point. They say 'love takes time' you know? Well, time isn't something I've got a lot of, no matter how much Apollo complains about not being busy enough in the office. You know what I mean?"

Again, Edgeworth didn't respond. In fact, Edgeworth wasn't even looking in his direction. He was idly watching the dancers, who had just finished up their wedding waltz, and were getting ready to leave the stage.

"Uh, nevermind," muttered Phoenix, feeling suddenly stupid. "This…I mean, this probably isn't anything you want to be talking about with me, anyway."

"The life of a man who devotes himself single-mindedly to one sole, all-encompassing cause is inevitably a lonely one," murmured Edgeworth thoughtfully.

Phoenix stared. "Wha...? Wait, huh?"

"You don't agree?" Frowning, Edgeworth turned back to face him. "I have always found that the unflagging pursuit of justice leaves me with little time or energy to waste on pursuing romantic entanglements. Isn't that what you were referring to just now?"

"Y-yeah, sounds about right," agreed Phoenix. "Actually, Edgeworth, now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure I've never heard about you dating anyone. Is that why? Being Chief Prosecutor just keeps you too busy?"

Again, Edgeworth said nothing for several long seconds. Eventually he took a long sip from his wine glass and replied quietly, "As I said before, Wright, we are, in some ways, quite similarly placed."

_Well, _thought Phoenix. _I guess that makes sense. If there's anyone even more swamped with work than I am, it's probably Edgeworth. We've had our differences over the years, but honestly I can't think of a better man for the Chief Prosecutor job. I'm pretty sure he eats, sleeps, and breathes legal work. The closest thing he's ever had to a social life was when he used to show up at Trucy's magic shows just to complain that the tricks were too 'transparent.' _

"Oh, well,' announced Phoenix, with a shrug and a smile. "I guess it could be worse. I mean, we're not exactly growing old and miserable alone. At least we know that we'll be old and miserable together, right?"

He smiled wryly, expecting Edgeworth to roll his eyes, to laugh, or even to ignore him entirely. Instead, Edgeworth nodded slowly.

"Yes," he murmured. "Yes, I suppose that is true. That's a comforting though in its own way."

Taken aback by the seriousness of the response, Phoenix was just about to ask Edgeworth if he was feeling all right when someone grabbed on to his arm.

"Nick!" Maya Fey pulled him around to face her. She was wearing a bright blue, frilly bridesmaid dress that looked about as out-of-character for her as wings would have looked on a giraffe, but somehow she was managing to make it work. As always she was full of energy, and the big, animated grin on her face was helping draw attention from the hideous dress.

_She looks great, _thought Phoenix proudly. _I think they're actually on the right track when they say 'you're never fully dressed without a smile.' _

"Nick!" Maya was now tugging insistently at Phoenix's sleeve. "Listen, the real party's just starting! The DJ's playing actual dance music!"

The DJ had, in fact, apparently given up on slow, romantic ballads. Peppy, upbeat pop-music was now blaring through the speakers, and the wedding guests were starting to abandon their tables and to head for the dance floor.

"Dance with me," begged Maya. "Please?"

"Uh, wait, Maya, I can't dance," Phoenix protested as Maya hauled him away.

She shrugged. "Who cares? I can't either. We'll figure it out. Come on, I want to have some fun, and you look like you could use a little fun!" Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed Edgeworth, beamed, and asked, "Oh, Mr. Edgeworth! Do you want to come dance with us, too?"

Edgeworth waved them away with a languid hand. "No thank you. I'm afraid a have far too many left feet. Please…enjoy yourselves."

Maya didn't have to be asked twice. As she and Phoenix headed onto the floor, Phoenix risked one last glance back at Edgeworth, who was now frowning thoughtfully into his wine glass, apparently oblivious, again, to the rest of the world.

**Fin.**

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**Author's Note: **A quick question for any intrepid readers out there:

This story will feature a couple of weddings, and a couple of funerals. I would love to hear your recommendations for which characters should get married, and which characters should pass away.

I do not promise that I will accept all or any suggestions, but I would like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks!


	2. At last, My Turnabout - One

**Author's Note: **Alas, tonight we have the same drill as usual. I have not slept in several days, so please forgive the typos that will probably appear in this document. I have several updates written for several of my stories, but I'm going to try editing/finishing them over the course of the next few days before posting.

I wanted to update at least something today, though, so I hope this isn't too grammatically awful.

Thank you, as always, for your patience.

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**Chapter One: I Love You Just the Way You Are **

**July 20****th****, 2028**

**6:00 AM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

Phoenix Wright's alarm went off at 6:00 AM sharp, the same time as it did every single day. He sleepily opened one eye, glared at the alarm, and then glanced at the wall calendar.

Today was the 20th of July, and the 20th of July was a Sunday. There were no major cases to defend, and no significant work to do. He didn't have to go into the office today.

_Well, then, _he told himself, gratefully shutting his eyes again and rolling over onto his other side. _In that case, I'm going back to sleep. What time did we get in last night? It must have been after two o'clock in the morning. My feet are killing me from too much dancing, and my head hurts from too much alcohol. Nope, I'm gonna sleep today until noon. Nothing, not even a client or a miracle could get me out of bed any earlier than that. Days off are such rare and precious things…_

Suddenly, someone began pounding on the door. "DAD!"

"Huh?" Phoenix blinked. "Wha…? Trucy?"

"Daddy!" The door burst open and Trucy rushed in, white-faced and still wearing her favorite pajamas with the little pink hats and white rabbits on them. "Come quick! You have to see this! It's an emergency!"

"Wha-?" Phoenix was awake again in an instant. Throwing off the covers, he jumped out of bed. "What's wrong? What's going on? Are you okay? Where's the emergency? Is anything on fire?"

"No! Nothing like that," she insisted, shaking her head. "Here look at this."

She placed her cell phone on the edge of the bed, and Phoenix blinked blearily down at it. There was something written on the screen, but it was tiny, and he was tired.

"Huh," he mumbled, frowning at the phone. "This is…an emergency?"

Trucy nodded. "Here," she offered. "I forgot, you're getting old. Let me fix it."

_Not old, _thought Phoenix, scratching irritably at the back of his and yawning as Trucy picked up the phone again. _You damn kids and your damn technology. Get off my lawn…_

"Here," she said after playing with the touch screen for a minute. "Try it now."

Phoenix accepted the phone again. The image on the screen was large enough now to make out relatively clearly. It was a photo of none other than Miles Edgeworth, still dressed in the suit he'd been wearing at the wedding the night before. There was another man with him, also wearing a suit, and there was something sort of strange and uncomfortable about the way Edgeworth and his friend were staring into each other's eyes. They were weirdly close, too, and Edgeworth had his hands on the other man's shoulders, almost as though they were about to fight, or maybe make out.

Underneath the photograph was a headline in bold, reading "SCANDAL: LA Chief Prosecutor's back-alley rendez-vous with secret gay lover! Exclusive details of their hot and naughty night out revealed!"

"Wait," mumbled Phoenix. "Wha…WHAT?"

"See," announced Trucy triumphantly. "It IS an emergency!"

"Hold it! What the heck is this?" Phoenix took a deep breath. "I don't get it. What am I looking at, some kind of internet joke?"

Trucy shook her head. "It's from a website called 'Los Angeles – News of the Weird.' They're always posting crazy stuff they find around the city. I was in there two weeks ago when my exploding penny trick went wrong and the Wonder Bar got that neat hole in the wall shaped like the outline of a dead body. 'News of the Weird' pretended it was some kind of murder-cover up, and they even came by the school to take some pictures of me!"

_What? They did? And the school was okay with that? _Phoenix stared. _Remind me to have a little chat with your principal._ "So," he muttered, "this is an online tabloid, then. Essentially, it's a bunch of libelous garbage that nobody should take seriously. Who wrote this, anyway?"

He glanced down at the phone again, and found that the byline under the article read "Myriam Scuttlebutt."

"Right," sighed Phoenix. "Well, that at least makes sense. Trucy, you can't let yourself get excited about this kind of thing. 'Journalists' love to use shock tactis like taking photographs out of context and pairing them with character-damaging headlines. It probably doesn't mean anything, really."

"Daddy." Trucy raised an eyebrow. "Um…did you see that picture? Look at the way they're looking at each other! It's like something right off the cover of a romance novel!"

Again, Phoenix looked at the picture and at the way Edgeworth and the other man were staring each other down. _I really hope she's not reading that kind of romance novel, _he thought. _I know she's already seventeen, but somehow I don't think I'll ever be ready to have the 'birds and the bees' talk. Then again, considering some of the things that go on stage at the Wonder Bar, maybe I won't have to. _

"Anyway," he assured her, "no one in their right mind is going to take this article seriously."

"But, Daddy," began Trucy.

She was interrupted when Phoenix's cell phone began to ring. He pulled it out from under his pillow, hit the call button, and held it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"NIIIIIICK!" Maya almost screamed at him from the other end of the line. "You HAVE to see this! Turn on your computer! No, wait, don't. You can barely use a computer. Go get Trucy, and ask her to help you use the computer. Then you have to go to the little bar on the top of the page that has all the funny numbers and letters in it, and you have to type in w-w-w-dot-L-A-!"

"Maya," snapped Phoenix. "I know how to use a search bar."

"That's not a search bar, Daddy," Trucy added helpfully. "That's called the 'URL.'"

Phoenix just shook his head. "You're talking about the 'LA News of the Weird,' right? You read that too?"

"Huh? Of course." Maya sounded surprised. "Doesn't everybody? It's got the most exciting stuff! I had no idea that LA was such a cool place until I started reading it! Hey, did you know they featured Trucy, last week? I've been trying for months to get them to do an article on spirit channeling, but the editor keeps writing back and saying that's old news. Ugh. I used to be so cool…"

'_Cool' isn't' exactly the word I'd use, _thought Phoenix. _And wait, why does everyone know about the Trucy article except me? Why does this always happen?_

"Nick." Maya was suddenly serious again. "You're not going into work today, right? You'd better not be, because you're coming with me to the Chief Prosecutor's office in ten minutes."

"Huh? What? Why?" Phoenix shook his head. "It's Sunday. There's no way he's in the office today. Besides, what do you want to bother him for?"

Maya sighed. "You're really dense sometimes, you know that? Mr. Edgeworth's probably upset about his secret love affair being made public! Wouldn't you be? We have to go and check on him to make sure he's okay. If he's not at the office, then we go to his apartment. We can't just leave him alone at a time like this."

"At a time like what?" Phoenix was starting to get exasperated. "Maya, the article's a joke. It's a mean joke, sure, but it's nothing to get upset about. We'll just annoy him if we start hounding him about it. I mean, he probably hasn't even seen it. Can you imagine Edgeworth reading something like 'News of the Weird?'That would be insane."

Maya, however, didn't seem interested in hearing excuses. "I'll be there in ten minutes," she told him. "I'm leaving now. Don't keep me waiting!"

Maya hung up and Phoenix put the phone down with a sigh.

"So much for my day off," he mumbled. "It just had to be an emergency. I would have preferred a miracle."

Trucy just shrugged. "You should probably put some pants on," she suggested. "Maya's coming in ten minutes, right? Or…well, nine minutes, now."

**Twenty minutes later, at the Chief Prosecutor's Office…**

"Mr. Edgeworth," called Maya from just outside the office door. "Are you there?"

"I told you, Maya," insisted Phoenix, shaking his head. "He's not in. It's Sunday, remember? What would he be doing in the office on a Sunday? He's probably still in bed. I wish I was."

"I think," said Maya, ignoring him, "that I heard someone moving around in there. Maybe he's hiding from the eager, inquisitive public!" Taking a deep breath, she turned and knocked hard on the door three times. "Mr. Edgeworth! Please, let us in! It's Maya and Nick, and we're-!" EEK!"

The door suddenly swung open very slightly, and Maya stumbled and had to grab on to Phoenix's arm to keep from falling over.

"Oh." She smiled, straightening herself up. "It opened when I knocked. I guess it wasn't locked after all. Mr. Edgeworth!"

Before Phoenix could stop her, Maya had barged into the office. All the lights were off, save for one dim little deskl amp on the large, oaken desk at the far end of the room. The weak light from the lamp just barely illuminated the face of Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth as he slumped dejectedly over his desk, his head in both hands. His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and he looked even more gloomy and beleaguered than usual, especially with the shadows hitting him in just that way.

"Oh," said Phoenix, unsure what else to say. _Wow, he looks bad…_

Edgeworth looked up and stared at them both for a moment. "You," he muttered hoarsely. "What…what are you doing here?"

"Oh man," whispered Maya. "It's just like I thought!" Out loud, she added, "Mr. Edgeworth we were worried about you! Don't be upset, okay? It's just like Nick says! Nobody's ever going to take that awful article seriously, so there's nothing for you to worry about. Besides, we don't care, do we, Nick?"

"Huh?" Phoenix blinked. "Care? Care about what?"

Maya glared at him. "We don't care if Mr. Edgeworth's secret lover is a man! That's not important! He's still our same old Mr. Miles Edgeworth, and nothing is going to change, that, right? Besides, it's always better to have more love in the world. Everyone should be free to love whoever they want! There's no reason why two men can't be lovers. I think it's great that Mr. Edgeworth has someone to care about. Don't you, Nick?"

Maya gave an expectant, encouraging sort of smile, and Phoenix did his best not to let himself snap.

"Maya," he said, very quietly, and very calmly. "How many times do I have to explain this to you? Edgeworth doesn't have a secret lover, male or female. It was a stupid, malicious article in a stupid, malicious online tabloid, written by a stupid, malicious girl whom I've personally questioned in court, and I can't say I'm really surprised that she'd do a thing like this. There probably isn't a single grain of truth in that entire article, so please, please, just let it go. Right, Edgeworth?"

He turned back to Edgeworth for corroboration, and was surprised to see something like anger in the Chief Prosecutor's eyes. Slowly, Edgeworth smiled, shook his head and looked away.

"You are so quick to deny the assertions made by that 'ridiculous' article," he muttered. "You insist that there is no 'secret lover,' but as in so many cases with you, you have no evidence to support your claims. Does the idea that I might prefer a man as a lover really disturb you that much?"

"Nick," hissed Maya.

Phoenix stared. "Wha…What? No, wait, that's not-!"

"We're just surprised, that's all," interjected Maya quickly. "Nick's just being weird because none of us expected this! I mean, you've been super quiet about it, and you never introduce us to any of your boyfriends, so it's kind of a shock, sure, but it's not like it's a bad thing."

"My private life," retorted Edgeworth, "is entirely that. It is private. Or at least…it was until this morning." Again, he smiled a mirthless, tight-lipped little smile.

_So…wait, then it is true? _Phoenix's head was spinning. _Well, that's…I mean, okay, now that I think about it he did say that he had somewhere to go after the wedding last night. I mean, that could have been anything, but I guess if he isn't denying it, then he must have been planning to meet up with this mystery guy. Still…this is, uh, kind of unexpected, isn't it? Or, no, actually, maybe not. Maybe this is the real reason Edgeworth never seems to be interested in women. He's…well, he's actually not interested in women. Explains a lot. Agh, now I feel like an asshole. _

"L-look, Edgeworth," began Phoenix awkwardly. "Maya's right. I mean, this is California. Nobody cares about that kind of stuff, here. You can, uh, date whoever you want."

"Thank you," said Edgeworth wryly. "I am so pleased to have your permission."

_Oh, for the love of…_ Phoenix sighed, and threw up his hands. "What do you want from me? Okay, honestly, when I read the article I didn't think there was anything in it, sure. I mean, Myriam Scuttlebutt isn't exactly a well-respected journalist. Still, if I was wrong, and if the stuff in the article is true, then it doesn't matter. I mean, no, that's wrong, it does matter, because it's a violation of your privacy, and potentially psychologically damaging. If you decide that you want to sue, I know somebody you could talk to. I can set the two of you up."

"Nick!" Maya looked shocked.

"What-? NO! No, that's not what I meant." Frantically, Phoenix shook his head. "I mean, I can get the two of you in touch to discuss legal proceedings! Good grief, Maya!" He could feel the sweat starting to roll down the back of his neck. "A-anyway. Just, uh, let me know if you want some help with that."

For a long moment, Edgeworth didn't say anything. The atmosphere in the room grew even more uncomfortable very quickly.

"Thank you," he said finally, after what felt like an eternity of awkward. "I'll do that, Wright. I…appreciate the visit, I think."

"Y-yeah." Phoenix smiled, but his face felt kind of strange. "Don't mention it. After all, we're sort of friends, right?"

"Friends," murmured Edgeworth thoughtfully. "Yes, I suppose we are, in a way."

Maya nodded. "Of course we are! And we'll have your back, so don't worry about it! Just leave everything to Nick. He'll make sure that horrible reporter wishes she'd never even thought about publishing that stuff!"

"Maya," muttered Phoenix. "I can't…I mean, you know that's not what I do."

He stopped, because Edgeworth laughed suddenly, and again, it wasn't a very pretty laugh. There was something hollow about it that sent a little shiver down Phoenix's spine.

"It's strange," mused Edgeworth quietly. "Of all the people who could have visited me today, you are the very last person in the world that I wished to see, and yet you are the one who attempts to offer me comfort. The irony of the situation is almost funny."

_Huh? _Phoenix frowned. _What's that supposed to mean?_

"And now," finished Edgeworth, "if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do."

Maya and Phoenix found their way out of the office again in the dark, leaving Edgeworth to his dim little light, his workload, and his apparently unpleasant thoughts.

**Fin.**

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**Author's Note: **Tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday I'll be updating this story as well as my three other stories with all the stuff I've been working on this week. In the meantime, I suggest you check out stories by **aceliterature, Blackace70 **and **KaUia**, all of whom have recently published excellent Ace Attorney fanfics, stuffed with brilliant characterization and excellent dialogue. I'll be here when you get back. Take your time.


	3. At Last, My Turnabout - Two

**Chapter Two: For the Longest **Time

**August 30****th****, 2028**

**12:00 PM**

**Outside the Money and Sons Funeral Home**

_It's kind of weird, _thought Phoenix as he stood on the steps of the funeral home and watched the mourners collecting in small, desultory groups and then slowly drifting their separate ways. _I'm not sure what to feel. _The funeral of Mr. Marvin Grossberg had just ended, and the elderly lawyer's soul was on his way to whatever afterlife awaited men of his particular kind.

"He wasn't that bad of a guy, as bad guys go," Phoenix mumbled. "But…then again, if it hadn't been for him, then…well, I guess none of this would have happened. You'd still be alive, and we'd probably still be working together at the Fey and Co. offices. Life would be something totally different. I guess it would have been happier. Maybe it would have been easier, too."

Mia Fey, channeled through the body and soul of Maya Fey, shook her head. "Don't say that," she admonished him. "You've had an exciting career so far, even if things have gotten a bit out of hand from time to time. You've made a difference in the lives of so many people, and you've grown into a better defense attorney than I ever was. Everything that's happened to you so far has yielded something wonderful, and that includes the end of our partnership. Without me, you've reached impressive heights, Phoenix."

Phoenix shrugged. "Yeah, but…I wish you could have been there."

"I was there, silly." Mia smiled. "I'm always with you. You have to know that by now. Besides," she added ruefully, "if I was alive now, I'd be almost forty years old. I'd be old and ugly, and you'd have outgrown me anyway."

Phoenix coughed. "Hey, come on, forty's not so old. I'm sure you'd have been drop-dead gorgeous at age forty. You know, in a distinguished kind of way."

Mia laughed. "You're sweet. I bet you say that to all the girls."

Just as Phoenix was getting ready to protest his innocence, someone behind him cleared his throat. Phoenix turned around to find Miles Edgeworth standing just below the funeral home steps, wearing an austere black suit that somehow made him look even more menacing and impressive than he usually did.

"Wright," murmured Edgeworth, nodding. "And Maya, of course."

"Oh? Not quite." Mia winked at him. "Hello, Miles. So nice to see you again."

"Ah…? Y-yes, I see." Doing a quick double take, Edgeworth frowned. "Miss Mia. I understand that this is quite the momentous occasion for you. The world is finally free of at least one of the men who caused you such grievous harm. You must be pleased."

"Hmmm…I don't know." Mia thought about that for a moment. "No, I don't think so. Did you feel 'pleased' when they finally executed Manfred von Karma?"

For a moment, Edgeworth looked surprised, Then, he dropped his eyes away from hers, and shook his head. "No. Not particularly."

"Well, then." Mia shrugged. "That isn't really how it works, is it? The fact that Mr. Grossberg suffered so much at the end doesn't exactly make up for or change what my mother and I suffered. An eye for an eye isn't real justice. You, Phoenix and I should know that better than anyone."

"As always," murmured Edgeworth, "you make a compelling argument."

"Hah!" Mia raised an eyebrow. "Now you're both at it. Flattery will get you nowhere. I'm still dead."

Phoenix was watching as three little children with tear-stained faces were ushered out of the funeral home by a large woman in horrible black drapes. "Huh," he mused. "I guess he had grandkids. He had a whole family, actually. It was actually kind of strange, listening to all the stories that his friends and family told about the great things he did, and about what a wonderful guy he was. Kind of makes me sad that I never had a chance to know that side of him. I only remember the bad things, but then again, I guess I didn't know him that well."

"Most people," said Edgeworth, "are remembered for their mistakes rather than for their triumphs. It's unfortunate, but it is also human nature."

Mia shook her head. "Gloomy as ever, I see. Anyway, I disagree. We remember people for whatever great things they did. Grossberg may have been a wonderful man, but his greatest contribution to our lives was to almost get Phoenix killed, unfortunately, and to betray my family. I'm sure his grandchildren felt differently, because he gave them something much greater. It's perfectly normal."

"That's true," agreed Phoenix. "I'll never forget the things you've taught me, about life in and out of the courtroom."

Mia gave him a playful jab in the ribs. "You'll never forget about me because I won't go away," she reminded him. "Maya will make sure of that. I'm glad I've managed to teach you something, at least, although I think a lot of what you learned came from other people. Actually," she added, turning to Edgeworth, "you're probably the person Phoenix has to thank the most for all of that 'education' in the courtroom. You definitely keep him on his toes."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _She has a point, there. Still, I can't really imagine thinking of Miles Edgeworth as a mentor figure. He's better at giving me anxiety attacks than at giving good advice. _

"And you, Wright?" Edgeworth was now watching Phoenix intensely. "What will they remember you for?"

"Ah…jeez, I don't know." Phoenix scratched thoughtfully at the back of his neck. "I've pretty much revolutionized the way that we shout 'objection' in the heat of the moment. I've got the stance down and everything. They even asked me to teach a class on that once, over at Themis Academy." He grinned. "And I'm pretty sure I've been arrested for murder more times than any other defense attorney I've ever heard of, so that's one for the history books."

"Indeed," agreed Edgeworth. "Three times, I believe. I confess that I frequently hesitate to open the newspaper in the morning due to a well-founded fear that your face is going to be featured on the front page yet again."

"Heh." Phoenix shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, well…what can I say? I'm such an exciting guy, always making the headlines." _Seriously, Edgeworth, _he thought, _have a little faith! _"Anyway, what about you? What are they gonna say about you when you're gone? You're kind of a big deal, you know? You're still LA's second youngest Chief Prosecutor, and you've got an amazing win record."

"I have not won a case against you in many years," Edgeworth reminded him.

Phoenix shrugged. "Well, yeah, but that's just me. I mean, you win all the other cases, so you're still pretty good."

He grinned to take the sting out of his joke, but Edgeworth didn't seem to be paying attention.

"I imagine," murmured Edgeworth, "that I am most likely to be remembered for my involvement with the DL-6 incident, or perhaps for the nickname of which you are so fond of reminding me. I believe there are many who still refer to me as 'the demon prosecutor.'"

Phoenix clapped Edgeworth reassuringly on the shoulder. "Well, yeah, that's true. Still, don't let it get you down. You're a decent guy and you're not as demonic as all that. Even if you did try to have me convicted of murder once, and even if you made my life a living hell for a while, I promise to try and remember the good times."

"Phoenix." Mia seemed to be trying to hide a laugh behind a disapproving look.

"You mention that I am the second youngest Chief Prosecutor on record in Los Angeles," remarked Edgeworth ruefully. "You forget that I have recently added another distinction to my name. I am now, apparently, one of the extremely few openly homosexual men to have served as Los Angeles Chief Prosecutor."

Phoenix rolled his eyes. "I'm telling you, Edgeworth, nobody read that article."

Edgeworth sighed. "You would be amazed at how wrong you are. I have received…letters." He winced. "There are still days when I consider how unwise I was not to take you up on your offer to help me to pursue damages."

"People," sympathized Mia, "can be awful sometimes. Don't let it dampen your spirits."

_Uh, yeah, _thought Phoenix awkwardly. _About that…_ "H-hey, Edgeworth," he said. "Do you have a few minutes? There's something I've wanted to talk to you about…"

**Some short time later, at Billy Bo's Burger Joint…**

Phoenix, Edgeworth, and the fully reinstated Maya were all sitting around a table at Maya's favorite burger place.

"So…Edgeworth," began Phoenix slowly. "About what happened a few weeks ago. You know, when that tabloid article came out, and everything?"

Edgeworth nodded. "Yes. What is it?"

"Uh, well…" Phoenix played with his empty ketchup packet, which splorted a couple last feeble drops of ketchup onto table at his elbow. "I probably should have told you this then, but that's not really where my head was, and besides, it kind of seemed like the wrong moment to start talking about me when you were having your own issues. Still, uh, it's only fair that you know that you're not the only one in that boat."

Edgeworth stared. "Excuse me? I don't understand. What are we talking about?"

"Uh." Phoenix was having a hard time figuring out how to put it delicately into words, and he chewed on his lip for a moment, trying to decide just what he wanted to say.

"Nick likes guys too," said Maya, shoving a bit of burger into her mouth.

"Ack! Maya!" Phoenix gaped. "You can't just…I mean, I was about to tell him! I was getting there!"

Maya shrugged. "I got there first. What? Sometimes it's easier to just get it all out in the open. We're all friends here, right?"

While Phoenix stammered out a protest, Edgeworth looked genuinely surprised.

"There have been women in your life," he reminded Phoenix. "Miss Dahlia Hawthorne, and later Miss Iris Hawthorne. There was also that young musician at the Borscht Bowl club, if I remember correctly."

"Well, yeah," began Phoenix. "But-!"

"But," interrupted Maya, "there were a couple of guys, too. This one time he went on a couple of dates with the guy who works the front desk at the Gatewater. We can't actually go to the coffee shop around the corner from the office anymore, because after hanging out with Nick once, this one guy there won't leave him alone. He used to call the office all the time. We had to change both our cell numbers, too."

_That's enough, Maya. _Phoenix's face got hot, and he could feel how red he must have been turning. _Way too much information. Major overshare. _

"I…confess that at one time, I had my suspicions," murmured Edgeworth. "However, after the incident at the Dusky Bridge, I was all but convinced that I had been mistaken. Your daughter…does she know?"

Phoenix squirmed a little in his chair. "N-no, not exactly. I mean, I haven't told her, or anything, but it's Trucy, so…she's probably guessed. She's pretty good at figuring me out."

"I see. "Edgeworth frowned.

"A-anyway," announced Phoenix, clearing his throat and feeling like it was time for him to retake control of the situation. "It's not that big of a deal. Like I said before, romance has never been a major part of my life, so it's not like I lose a ton of sleep over this sort of thing, but…I didn't want you to feel like you were the only one. Uh, what I meant o say is, I sort of know how it feels to have different interests, and you shouldn't let it bother you too much. What you said when the article came out was spot-on. Your personal choices are your personal choices, and they don't mean anything for your professional life. Like Apollo always says, you're fine, and you're not all by yourself. We really are sort of 'similarly placed' after all. Okay?"

For a long moment, Edgeworth just gazed back and forth between Phoenix and Maya, clearly at a loss.

_Yup, _thought Phoenix. _Definitely way too much information. The things he probably never wanted to know about me include…_

"I…see." Edgeworth played idly with his fork, looking about as genuinely stumped for a rebuttal as Phoenix had ever seen him be before.

Only Maya was apparently totally unperturbed. "I think," she announced, "that I need some more mustard. Oooh, I wonder if they have the spicy kind. I hope so! Nick, go and ask for some. Please?"

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: ** I notice that a couple of new people are following this story! Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Please feel free to comment/PM/review at any time with suggestions or questions. I'm almost criminally social. I love people. Drop me a line any time!


	4. At Last, My Turnabout - Three

**Chapter Three: We Are Family**

**October 8****th****, 2028**

**1:00 PM**

**The Gatewater Hotel Ballroom**

_This seems to be a year for beginnings and endings, _thought Phoenix, straightening his bow tie and gazing out at the expectant wedding guests who had all turned around in their seats to face him. _Although, to be honest, this is one ceremony I NEVER expected to be attending. I'm guessing that everybody in this room probably feels the same way. _

For some reason, the grand majority of the wedding guests seemed to be very, very attractive women, with perfect bodies and amazing hair, wearing dresses that were either short, sheer, low-cut or baring far too much thigh. Every time Phoenix caught someone's eye he found himself staring, and he wasn't sure where to look. _Maybe my dating life is getting ready to take off after all! Still…there's one thing all these women have in common that kind of turns me off. They've ALL dated Larry. I don't think I want to be part of any club that'd have him for a member._

"Nick!" From one of the tables in front row, Maya waved enthusiastically. "You can do it! You're gonna be great!"

Next to her, Athena beamed and held up a quick peace-sign. "Go get 'em, boss!"

"Remember, Daddy, just like we practiced!" Trucy nodded encouragingly. She poked Apollo in the ribs, and he winced, and then gave Phoenix a half-hearted smile.

_Well, _thought Phoenix, doing his best to hide a smile, _at least my fan club's here. Makes a guy feel pretty good to know he's got some cheerleaders in the crowd. All right, Phoenix, here goes. Let's get this over with._

He cleared his throat, stood up as tall as he could, and fastened his gaze on Maya, who gave him two thumbs up before settling back in her chair to listen.

"Uh, hello everyone," he said, and his voice came out a little more hoarsely than he would have liked. Taking a deep breath, he tried again. "I'm pretty sure I can speak for all of us when I say that I'm amazed this day has finally come."

There were a few nods, grins, and titters from the audience. Apollo turned to Trucy and made some comment under his breath that Phoenix couldn't hear, but Trucy just ignored him.

"Anyway," Phoenix went on, "I've been, uh, privileged to know Larry Butz for many, many years. Actually, as a lot of you already know, we grew up together, and we went to the same high school. Ever since the day we met, he's had a, um, profound effect on my life and career, and I can say with confidence that I have him to thank, among others, for shaping me into the man and the attorney that I am today."

This time, the crowd applauded politely. _Okay, _thought Phoenix. _So far, so good. Time to lay on the sweet-talk, just like Larry would want. _

"Larry's a sensitive guy," Phoenix continued. "He's the kind of man who wears his heart on his sleeve and gives all of himself to any situation. _Not, _thought Phoenix, _that you'd really want all of him at one time. Half or a third is plenty to deal with in one go. _"I know that he's been head over heels in love with Miss Jelanda Jones since the moment he met her two months ago, and I'm really glad to see him getting ready to take the next step towards something real, sincere, and permanent."

Again, the crowd applauded, although now some of the guests were whispering to one another and looking surprised. _Maybe they didn't' know that Larry and Jelanda have only been dating for two months, _he realized. _Well, yeah, I mean, it doesn't' seem like such a good idea to get married to a woman you barely know, but…if I'm being serious, then I doubt it'll last. After all, most of what I just said was pretty much worthless flattery. 'Real, sincere and permanent' are three qualities that Larry just doesn't have and probably will never learn. Still, there has to be something that all of these gorgeous women see in him. I only wish I knew what it was…_

"Uh, so, in conclusion," he managed, "I'm just happy to see that Larry's happy, and that he's found someone who appreciates him for who he is. Larry, Jelanda, I wish you both the best for a happy, healthy future together. Stay honest and take care of each other."

That seemed like a reasonable place to end the speech, so he raised his wine glass, and the rest of the guests all raised theirs along with him.

"To Larry and Jelanda," he announced, "for as long as they can last." _Whoops! Did I say that out loud? _

"To Larry and Jelanda," echoed the other guests. "For as long as they can last!" No one seemed too put off by the toast. Even Larry was beaming as he enthusiastically made-out with his unreasonably attractive bride. Everyone drank. While the applause and chatter continued in his wake, Phoenix hurried back to Maya's side.

"That was great, Nick," she told him, squeezing his hand. "You're the perfect best man for Larry. You only sort of insulted him once. I was really impressed! Oh, and you look great in that tux. Suits are definitely your thing. No wonder you barely own any other clothes."

"It's amazing the way you bluffed your way through that speech," agreed Trucy, her eyes wide. "I mean, I'm not even sure you really like Mr. Butz, but you still managed to make him sound like such a good guy! You're a great friend, Daddy."

"Uh, thanks," mumbled Phoenix. _No, that's not..that's not exactly it. I mean, it's not that I dislike Larry. I actually do kind of like the guy, despite all the evidence against him being a good friend. Maybe it's just because I've known him for so long. We always have a special place in our hearts for the people who've been with us since the beginning. Actually, now that I think about it, life without him would be…strange. Easier, yes, and I'd definitely get more sleep at night, but it would be weird, that's for sure. He's kind of a fixture at this point. _

Edgeworth strode over to him from a table across the way. "Wright," he muttered, looking slightly dazed. "I…cannot believe that this is actually happening. What is going on? The world has ceased to make any modicum of sense."

Phoenix laughed. "Yeah, the idea of Larry actually getting married is a bizarre one, I'll admit, but I wouldn't let it get to you. I hate to say it so soon after the marriage vows, but I don't really see the marriage lasting any longer than the dating did. Two months might even be a stretch."

Edgeworth nodded. "That is probably for the best, both for Larry's sake, and for the sake of the unreasonable attractive woman with the slightly unexpected name."

"Yeah." Phoenix sighed, "Oh well. No matter how long these things last, it never seems to upset him too much. He'll freak out for a few days and then he'll find some other amazingly beautiful woman for reasons that none of us will ever be able to understand, and everything will start all over again. It's serial monogamy at its weirdest, but as long as it works for them, then I guess it's fine."

"Your speech was very tactful," murmured Edgeworth. "And…your tuxedo fits you well. You make a very suitable best man."

"Oh, uh, thanks!" Phoenix wasn't sure what to make of that. As far as he could remember, Edgeworth had never given him a direct compliment like that before, but no matter how he looked at it, he couldn't find anything backhanded or veiled about what Edgeworth had just said. "You, uh…wait, didn't' Larry ask you to be a groomsmen? I thought he said that he was going to do that."

"Hmph." Edgeworth shook his head and wagged an admonitory finger at Phoenix. "Unlike you, I was not swayed by peer pressure. I declined, emphatically."

_Oh, right. Of course you did. _Phoenix shrugged. "Fair enough."

The music began to play again, and Athena jumped up.

"I'm going to go dance," she announced.

Apollo waved her away with one hand. "Have fun."

Grinning, she turned on him, grabbed him by the arm, and hauled him up out of his chair. "Oh, no. You're not getting away with that this time, Pollo. You're going to dance with me!"

"Wa-wait, hang on," spluttered Apollo in protest. "Seriously? Why me?"

"Because I'm getting the first dance with Nick," Maya told him. "Right, Nick? Come on, you'll dance with me, won't you? And Pearl's around here somewhere, I'm sure she'll want a dance with you before we all go home."

_Pearls is here? That's great. _Phoenix grinned. _Man, I haven't seen her in months. _"Yeah, sure," he agreed. "Just for a little bit, though, okay?"

They were just getting ready to head out on to the dance floor when Trucy stood up at and turned to Edgeworth.

"How about it, Mr. Edgeworth?" She smiled winningly at him. "Will you dance with me?"

Edgeworth took a hasty step back. "N-no, no thank you, Miss Trucy. I really, really do not dance. Ever. For any reason. At all."

Trucy shrugged. "Well, you can start now. Come on, please? I promise I won't step on your toes, and I won't get mad when you step on mine. It'll be fun!"

"It will not," retorted Edgeworth. "There will be no fun involved of any kind."

Ignoring him, Trucy took him firmly by the arm and led him out onto the dance floor after her father, Maya, Athena and Apollo.

"You and Daddy have been friends for a really long time," she remarked thoughtfully. "I sort of think of you like you're a part of the family, now. You know, like one of those extra uncles that everybody seems to have. Can I call you 'Uncle Edgeworth?'"

"You may not," snapped Edgeworth, glaring. "Wright," he added, turning desperately to Phoenix. "Do something."

Phoenix just grinned." Nope! You're on your own this time, Edgeworth. Try not to injure my daughter too badly, okay?"

"Oh, I'll be fine," insisted Trucy. "It takes a lot more than a few extra left feet to take me out of the game! Remember what happened when my exploding penny trick went wrong? I'm indestructible!"

**Some time later, still at the Gatewater ballroom…**

A few dances later, Phoenix and Edgeworth excused themselves from the floor and returned to their tables. The DJ had started playing some sort of line-dance, and everyone had lined up to step and hop along with the music. Trucy and Pearl were holding hands and giggling at each other like the schoolgirls they were. Maggey had apparently finally convinced Gumshoe to get up and join her, and they too seemed to be having a good time.

"Uncle Edgeworth, is it?" Edgeworth mused unhappily. "Suddenly, I feel like an incredibly old man."

"You are an old man," retorted Phoenix. "We both are. It's probably time we accepted it."

"Speak for yourself." Edgeworth shook his head. "I accept nothing of the sort."

"Sure, sure." Phoenix just smiled. "Anyway, welcome to the family. It's not so bad. Trucy's just trying to tell you how much she likes you. You have to remember, family's kind of a big deal for her. She's lost a lot of it. If Trucy calls you family, it means she trusts you, and that's no small honor. You should be proud."

"Her judgment,' mumbled Edgeworth, "appears to be at fault, here. I do not fit the profile of a man whom your daughter should so readily trust. I am the leading member of the prosecution, and therefore I am the symbol of the age-old enemy of everything her father stands for."

"And you're also the man who fought to help me get my career back," returned Phoenix, sipping thoughtfully at his wine glass. "You're the man who helped save her Aunt Maya's life on more than one occasion, and no matter what happens, you're always fair. Even if I don't agree with some of the conclusions you reach, you never let your emotions affect your dedication to your work. You're honest, and you're determined. Sure, you've had your moments, but nowadays you're exactly the kind of role model I'd like my daughter to be learning from."

Edgeworth seemed taken aback. "You…place far too much faith in me," he said quietly.

Phoenix shook his head. "We're talking about Trucy, not me, remember?"

"Y-yes. Of course." Edgeworth was now closely examining his napkin, apparently unwilling to meet Phoenix's eyes.

_Aw, _thought Phoenix. _I guess Trucy really embarrassed him. Now that I think about it, he doesn't really have a lot of family of his own, does he? I mean, of course there was his father, but…that was a very long time ago. Von Karma's long dead too, so…_

"So," asked Phoenix, "do you hear anything from Fransizka these days?"

Edgeworth shrugged. "She's well. She is very busy, as usual."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix, "I bet. You know, I'd love to see her again sometime. It's sure been awhile."

For a moment, Edgeworth smiled wryly. "I imagine she'd be delighted to see you as well. As far as Fransizka is concerned, there is still a great deal of unresolved conflict between the two of you."

"Oh, yeah, I know." Phoenix rolled his eyes. "I guess it'd be too much to ask for us to all just get along, huh?"

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **You know, there are a lot of weddings and funerals in this story. It may seem excessive, but it really does happen. Actually, my year has been a lot like that. In the last four months I have attended two weddings and two funerals, and I have some more lined up. Sometimes, life just works out that way.

…and really, it makes for an excellent dramatic backdrop.


	5. At Last, My Turnabout - Four

**Author's Note: **So, I've been taking to an extremely talented writer who goes by the handle **Ersatz Writer**, and Ersatz Writer has asked me to try updating once a day. This is probably physically impossible, but heck, I never back down from a good challenge, so let's give it a try!

…I am working on four stories right now, so how about this. I will try to update at least one of my stories every single day.

Today I have (honestly, I'm not kidding) another wedding to go to, so I will probably only be able to update this one. Still, if I get home early I can try to add the last chapter of **Turnabout to Save Haven** as well.

* * *

**Chapter Four: You Give Me Fever**

**October 9****th****, 2028**

**6:00 AM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

Phoenix's alarm clock went off that morning as usual at six o'clock AM. He groaned, rolled over, pulled the covers over his head and spent a few minutes pretending that it was not, in fact, Monday. Eventually his alarm clock beeped again, reminding him that this was his five-minute warning.

"Fine," he mumbled, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and forcing himself to face the day. "I'm up. I'm up. _Ugh…my head and my feet ache. Why do I never learn, and who in his right mind schedules a wedding for a weeknight? Oh, right. Larry does. Stupid question, Phoenix. _

He yawned, stretched, located a pair of pants, and was just about to make his way towards the kitchen and therefore the coffee machine when his door creaked open, and Trucy hesitantly peeked in.

"Oh, good," she said. "You're awake. Um, good morning."

Something was definitely not right about the uncertain way that Trucy was peering at him. She looked she had something she wanted to ask.

"Morning," returned Phoenix. "You're up early. What's wrong?"

"Uh…hmmm." She frowned, chewed thoughtfully on her lip for a moment, and then stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. "So, you haven't seen it yet? No, I guess you haven't. You don't read that stuff, right?"

"What? What stuff?" Phoenix raised an eyebrow. _I have a really bad feeling about this, _he thought.

"It's that 'News of the Weird' site again," said Trucy, hurrying over to his desk and turning on the computer. "Here, I'll show you."

It took ages for the computer to finally turn on.

"Daddy," remarked Trucy, "you shouldn't turn this off before you go to sleep. Just leave it on and let it go into 'sleep mode.' That way it'll still be on when you want to use it in the morning."

"Uh…right." Phoenix nodded. _I never use it in the morning, _he told himself. _I always just wait to check my email on my laptop when I get to work. It's always on. _

"Okay, here we go." When the computer finished whirring, clicking, and buzzing, Trucy pulled up the "LA: News of the Weird" website. It was a lot easier for Phoenix to read on the computer screen than it had been before, on Trucy's little cell phone. This time, he could make the headline out very clearly.

"EXLUSIVE," announced the big, bold text at the very top of the page. "Gay Prosecutor Takes New Lawyer Lover. Long-time Rivals in Romantic Roundabout. Courtship in the Courtroom! Details Within."

Beneath the headline were not one but several photographs, all of which were very familiar to Phoenix. One was a photograph of Edgeworth and Phoenix seated side by side in the audience at the Wonder Bar. Phoenix was leaning over to whisper something in Edgeworth's ear, and Edgeworth was almost smiling. Another photograph was of Edgeworth and Phoenix eating dinner at their favorite restaurant, sharing a bottle of wine and toasting, probably to one of Phoenix's courtroom successes. The third photograph, clearly the most recent, showed Phoenix in a tuxedo and Edgeworth in his usual maroon suit, grinning at each other over the heads of their respective dance partners on the ballroom floor at Larry's wedding.

_Wait…courtship in the courtroom? Lawyer lover? So, then, this article is claiming that Edgeworth and I are…_

The penny dropped. Phoenix stared in horror at the computer screen. "Wha…WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?"

"Y-yeah," said Trucy, wincing. "That's sort of what I thought you'd say."

"WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?" Slack-jawed and waiting for the world to stop spinning and to start making sense again, Phoenix waved his hands expressively, tried to come up with anything reasonable to say, and failed.

"I guess it's not true, then, huh?" Trucy sighed. "Oh, well. I was sort of hoping…"

Phoenix turned on her. "You were hoping? You were…? WHY?"

"Because Mr. Edgeworth's such a nice man," replied Trucy, shrugging. "And he's a good person, too. You two are a good team, and so I thought it'd be nice if you guys started seeing each other. That'd probably be a good match, and it would make both of you happy, so…" She sighed. "It's just like I'm always saying, Daddy. You haven't dated anybody in a really long time, but I still can't help hoping that maybe you'll find someone to fall in love with. It doesn't actually have to be a Mommy, though. I mean, I'd be super happy to have another Daddy instead. I just want us to be a real family, that's all."

_Really? _Phoenix stopped being shocked just long enough to be impressed by Trucy's egalitarian attitude. _Huh. That's my girl. This is probably a good thing. I wonder if she's known all along about me? Wait, no, this isn't the time to be thinking about this. Focus, Phoenix! This is an emergency. Edgeworth and the article, remember?_

"We," he told her, raising one admonitory finger, "will definitely talk about this later."

"Okay!" Trucy nodded. "But you have to go now, right?"

_Yeah. Right. _Phoenix sighed. "I think I'll probably be late to the office. Tell the others to get started on the Jerry Keeling defense without me, okay? I'm…not exactly sure how long I'm going to be."

He was just getting ready to leave the room when his phone began to ring. The name on the caller ID read "MAYA."

_Here we go, _he thought, picking up the phone and holding it just slightly away from his ear. "Hello? Maya?"

"NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK!" Maya was almost screaming with excitement. "Is it true? You and Mr. Edgeworth? How come you didn't tell me?"

"No, of course it's not true," he snapped. "Don't be ridiculous! That would never happen! It's just another fabricated 'scandal,' obviously."

"Huh?" Maya was definitely disappointed. "'Another?' But, remember, the last story that tabloid printed about Mr. Edgeworth was true after all, right?"

_Right, _realized Phoenix. _Well that's…that's not the point! _"This one isn't," he insisted firmly. "Not even a little bit. Anyway, you'd better get going. I'm heading over to Edgeworths' office right now, and I need you to come with me."

"Me?" Maya sounded puzzled. "Okay, sure, but why?"

_Because, _thought Phoenix uncomfortably, _Edgeworth's not going to be happy about this. I might need some backup…or a witness. Or a human shield. Maybe all of the above…_

**Twenty minutes later, outside the Chief Prosecutor's Office…**

Phoenix took a deep breath, steeled himself, and knocked on the door. "Edgeworth? It's me, Nick. Do you, uh, have a second?"

From the other side of the door, Phoenix could hear the sound of shuffling, followed by the scraping of a chair being pushed away from a desk.

"He's in," hissed Maya. "Do you think he's seen the article yet?"

_Probably, _thought Phoenix. _I bet he checks that website every morning, now that they've started publishing stuff about him. He probably knows everything about that tabloid by now, and way more about Myriam than she'd ever want him to know. By now, I bet he's got a pretty good case against her. There's almost no one better at stacking up the evidence than Miles Edgeworth. Yeah, he'll definitely have something we can use. _

After a moment the door swung open, and Edgeworth stood framed in the doorway.

"Wright," said Edgeworth, nodding a curt greeting. That, apparently, was that.

_Oh, _thought Phoenix. _So, I guess he hasn't seen the article yet after all. _

Phoenix wasn't sure what exactly he'd been expecting, but this definitely wasn't it. Something was very wrong with the way that Edgeworth was looking at him. Edgeworth wasn't angry. He didn't' even look annoyed.

In fact, Edgeworth didn't seem to be feeling…anything. His face was totally blank, and upon closer inspection, Phoenix realized that there was something sort of glassy and unfocused about the look in his eyes. Both of his hands were clenched into fists at his sides so hard that his knuckles were starting to turn white.

_Uh oh, _thought Phoenix. _No, he's not just angry. He's freaking out. _

"Okay, so before you say anything," began Phoenix quickly, "just hear me out. We can fix this. Myriam Scuttlbutt's not a professional. She's barely even out of school, and she won't be that hard to break. A little pressure should do the trick, and there's nobody better at 'a little pressure,' than you, Edgeworth. We can probably make all of this go away before it gets any more out of hand than it already is. So…don't panic."

"Heh…" Edgeworth's face twisted into the very tiniest of slightly manic smiles. "Any more out of hand…than it already is? I am not certain how that would be possible."

"Huh? No, it's totally possible." Phoenix shook his head. "I mean, she has nothing on us except a couple of photographs that frankly aren't that incriminating. We're together at a couple of social events. No big deal, right? That's not hard evidence."

"I…I see." Agreed Edgeworth. "Yes, of course. You're right."

Phoenix nodded encouragingly. "Of course I'm right. Anyway, all we have to do is convince her that we're not a story that's worth her going after. We have a couple of options, here. Either we can try to strong-arm her into giving up, and you'd be better at that than I would, or we could try deflecting her attention in another direction. I don't want to put any other poor sap on the spot, but maybe we can find someone who's genuinely interested in being hounded by the tabloids. Maya says she's always wanted the 'News of the Weird' to do a story on spirit channeling. There have to be some other spotlight-hoggers out there who'd be up for that kind of thing, right?"

"Spotlight hoggers?" Maya frowned. "Hey, that's not fair! What's wrong with a little publicity?"

_Easy for you to say, _thought Phoenix. "Anyway," he went on, "what I'm trying to say Edgeworth, is that there's nothing to get worked up about. We've already pretty much got this under control. Now all we need is a concrete plan of attack."

Edgeworth didn't say anything. He opened his mouth, closed it, frowned, and swallowed hard.

_Jeez, he's really taking this hard, _thought Phoenix. _I guess maybe his image matters a lot more to him than I thought. _

"Trust me," he insisted, reaching out to give Edgeworth a comforting pat on the shoulder. "This is nothing. We're gonna be-!"

"Do not touch me," snarled Edgeworth, jerking his arm abruptly away from Phoenix.

Phoenix was startled." What? Oh, uh…you think there might be cameras? Yeah, I guess that's something worth considering. We should probably do a sweep to see if there are any recording devices or cameras hidden around your office."

Edgeworth had turned away, apparently to examine the interior of his office. "A good idea," he muttered. "Yes…you're full of good ideas, Wright."

Again, something about his tone sounded…well, off. He still wasn't angry, or even upset, but something about his demeanor was definitely different in an indescribably uncomfortable way. Little beads of sweat began collecting on the back of Phoenix's neck. _What the heck is up with Edgeworth? This is getting creepy. I'd feel better if he'd juts lose his temper already. _

"You seem to have thought this through very carefully," continued Edgeworth. "I am sorry, of course, that it has come to this. These revelations must be very problematic for you. I can only imagine that it would be disastrous for your career if your previously undisclosed interest in men were to be exposed to the public."

"Huh? Uh, well, no, not really." Phoenix frowned. "I mean, it's like I said before. This is California. Most people don't really care about that kind of thing, here. I don't think my clients are gonna bother worrying about who I sleep with when they're in a bind and need an emergency defense. Everybody's priorities sort of shift when they're convicted of murder."

He grinned a little awkwardly, but the tension in the air didn't' lesson any. Edgeworth didn't seem to appreciate the joke.

"I see," said Edgeworth, still not meeting Phoenix's eyes. "Well, then, if you have no concerns about your sexual preferences being revealed, it must be me, personally, to whom you object."

Phoenix stared. "Wait…what?"

Slowly, Edgeworth turned back around. "Let us be clear on one point," he said. "Am I correct in assuming that you find the article in question objectionable because of the liaison it suggests between you and I? It is the idea of being romantically coupled with me that you find so offensive, is it not?"

"Uh," muttered Phoenix. "Whoa, hang on a second. That's…not exactly what I said.I mean, of course it's a problem that the article says we're a couple. We aren't a couple. That's just…inaccurate." He felt that the word 'inaccurate' was insufficient and hastily tried again. "I mean, the two of us, together? That's crazy. It would never happen. We're, uh, professional rivals. Everybody knows that. Sure, the idea of the two people on opposing sides of justice getting involved is a nice glamorous one, but it's also nuts. That kind of thing only happens in the movies, because it's…uh, well, it's ill-advised. It'd end badly, and interfere with things, like…like justice. Maybe."

Edgeworth's unyielding blank stare was making Phoenix extremely nervous.

"Maya," he insisted. "Tell him. I'm right…aren't I?"

Maya, however, was just standing there with her mouth hanging open, staring dumbfounded at Edgeworth. "Oh my god," she whispered. "Wait, really? But…but, Mr. Edgeworth!"

_What? _Phoenix frowned at Maya, and then back at Edgeworth. _What's she getting so excited about? _

"You must have had at least some suspicion, Wright," murmured Edgeworth, shaking his head. "All these years, you have been a thorn in my side. You have made my life…exceptionally complicated. A perfect prosecutor does not give in to any kind of overwhelming emotion. You took from me more than my perfect win record. Not only did you defeat me in court, but you deprived me of the perfect rational calm that I prized perhaps above all else. No man is perfectly rational, of course. Manfred Von Karma knew that. I believe I truly understood that for the first time when, after so many years, I found myself facing you in the courtroom."

"Wha…?" Phoenix's head was spinning again. _Is he…saying what I think he's saying? Hold it! Stop the world, I want to get off! This isn't Kansas anymore. This can't actually be happening, right?_

"But," insisted Edgeworth, "you must have known. Years ago when you were injured on that burning bridge, and Larry phoned me frantically o say that you were dying, I immediately abandoned my work and rushed to your side on the first available flight. Those are not the actions of a rational man. They are not even the actions of an old friend or rival."

"Y-yeah," said Maya. "I guess that's…sort of true. I mean, you don't suddenly fly halfway across the world unless you really, really care about somebody."

"Exactly." Edgeworth nodded. "And then again, last year I risked my career to ensure that you were again able to practice law and to face me in court. When I was willing to place my career on the line in order to fight for you to achieve your dreams, you must have suspected."

Phoenix just shook his head. "I, uh…y-you're a pretty good actor," he managed. "I never…I never knew. _Or maybe, _he realized, _it just never occurred to me to think about it. I mean, yeah, now that he mentions it, I guess the signs have been there all along. I never even considered that he might, uh…have feelings. Actually, the idea of Edgeworth having feelings for anyone is pretty damn hard to swallow. He's just usually so…well, cold. _

"I see." Edgeworth was nodding thoughtfully to himself. "Well, then I suppose I have your ignorance to thank for the pleasant association we have maintained throughout the past several years."

"Ignorance seems like a harsh word choice," muttered Phoenix automatically.

Edgeworth ignored him. "Returning," he said quietly, "to the subject of the offending tabloid article. I will, of course, do as you wisely suggest. The office will be searched for any illegal recording equipment, and I highly recommend that you have yours searched as well. If you would be kind enough to provide me with the name and contact information for your lawyer friend, we may begin legal proceedings against Miss Myriam Scuttlebutt without much further delay. I believe that I am sufficiently well equipped to dismantle her ridiculous publication without a tremendous amount of difficulty."

"Y-yeah." Phoenix felt a little faint. "S-sure. No problem." _Wait, are we seriously just going to leave it like that? Shouldn't I say something, here? Gah, I have no idea how to respond! Maya, where's that backup you promised? A little help, here! _

"Now," Edgeworth was saying, retreating back into his office and reaching to close the door behind him, "if you will excuse me, I obviously have several things to attend to immediately. I will, of course, be in touch when I have any further information for you. Good morning, Wright."

"W-wait! HOLD IT!" Phoenix took a step forward, but Edgeworth shut the door in his face, leaving him and Maya alone on the steps.

"He always makes a big exit," sighed Maya. "This is the second time he's shut us out like that, isn't it?"

"D-did you hear what I think I heard?" Phoenix turned on her. "Did Miles Edgeworth just sort of confess to having feelings for me? Tell me I read that wrong, or that I imagined it. Please."

"Nope." Maya shrugged. "I think you interpreted that pretty well, actually. I gotta say, though, it was totally unexpected! Although, now that I think about it, he's right. He has kind of always been there when you've needed him. If that's not love, I don't know what is!"

"L-love?" Phoenix sat down hard on the step and put his head in his hands. "Look, Maya, the words 'Miles Edgeworth' and 'love' do not belong in the same sentence. He's not…I mean, he's 'the demon prosecutor,' remember? He's robotically perfect. He's an emotionless prosecuting machine."

Maya put both hands on her hips and glared at Phoenix. "You know that's not true," she admonished him. "Aren't you the one who's always saying he's actually a super nice guy, deep down? Anyway, you just saw it for yourself! Face it, Nick, Mr. Edgeworth has a big old crush on you, and I for one think it's actually really sweet."

_You have no idea what you are talking about, _thought Phoenix miserably. _Try looking at it from my point of view, for a change. Sweet? Sure, I guess, in a way it's flattering, but…_what_ the heck am I supposed to do now?_

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **Oh, by the way, before I forget, remember that other fanfic author I mentioned in the first author's note? You should definitely go check out **Ersatz Author's **fic "Call Me." It's an absolute must-read for Phoenix/Edgeworth fans. Trust me on this.


	6. At last, My Turnabout - Five

**Author's Note: **Okay, so we are now officially playing the "how many updates can I possibly fit in before I get swamped by work again" game.

We've had weddings. We've had a funeral. Let's add in another significant life event. Who doesn't love birthdays?

Okay, honestly, I hate birthdays. I mean, I never celebrate mine, but that's not the point at all. The point is, this chapter has Pearl, Gumshoe, and nostalgia in it, and that's great! Right? Yeah, of course it is.

* * *

**Chapter Five: Pictures of You**

**October 15, 2028**

**12:00 PM**

**Fey Manor**

Maya Fey, as the current head of the Fey clan, had really outdone herself this time. She had set out to throw her little cousin Pearl the best, most exciting, most extravagant eighteenth birthday party that she could possibly manage, and with a little help from a few indulgent friends she had actually pulled it off. Kurain Village was busier than it had ever been before, packed with friendly people who'd come to wish their little Pearl well.

"I'm getting dizzy," whispered Pearl, staring dazedly at the large pile of presents on one of the folding tables they'd set up just outside the manor. "So many people…"

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _Somehow, this kind of a huge birthday thing doesn't really seem like Pearl's type of party. I get that Maya was just trying to make it fun for Pearl, but next time maybe she should pay more attention to what Pearl would actually want. Oh, then again, maybe there's more to it than that. Maybe this is all part of Maya's ongoing scheme to increase Kurain Village tourism. I wouldn't put it past her…_

"Don't worry!" Trucy gave Pearl's hand a little squeeze. "We can disappear whenever we want. Ooh, let's go explore the manor some more! I'll just bet there are tons of trap doors and hidden passageways in that place that no one's ever really managed to find. It's definitely kind of house that'd have secrets, and I'm pretty good at scouting out secrets!"

Pearl smiled, and Phoenix couldn't help smiling with her.

_They've been playing that game for eight years, _he thought. _When they first met as kids, Trucy used to drag Pearl around Kurain Village looking for what she called 'secrets' I guess that makes sense for a magician's little girl, and Pearl was probably just happy to have the company. Looks like not much has changed. Even though there can't possibly be any more 'secrets' for them to find around here, Trucy always manages to cheer Pearl up. It's nice to see them both smiling._

"Those two have gotten pretty close," remarked Maya as Pearl and Trucy grinned at each other.

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "I'm actually really grateful to Pearl for being so friendly to Trucy all these years. When I first took her in, there weren't that many other kids Trucy's age around for her to play with. She, uh, never quite clicks with the other girls at school, for some reason. They think she's…'different."

Maya narrowed her eyes. "Well, Trucy is different! She's super-special different! She can do magic, and her Dad's the most famous defense attorney in the world! What's not to like about that?"

_Honestly, I think both of those things make her stand out a little too much, _thought Phoenix. _Either the other kids are jealous, or they just think she's too weird for them. Wish there was something I could do about it, but she never lets me step in. Trucy's the kind of girl who has to handle everything herself…no matter how much I want to help. I wish she took after me a little more. I'm always glad of a helping hand. _

"Well, anyway," he said aloud, "Pearl's been great."

"Pearl just loves Trucy," agreed Maya, smiling. "And it's nice for her to have a friend, too. I don't have to worry about her so much, anymore. I'm a lot busier now than I used to be, but now Pearly has someone else to talk to, so it's okay."

Maya was still smiling, but there was something just a little bit sad in her eyes that Phoenix thought he understood. _They grow up fast, huh? Pretty soon, they won't need us anymore. Oh, well. I guess that's what's supposed to happen, even if that means that Maya and I might end up as the lonely ones..._

"Um, this is kind of a gloomy conversation," muttered Maya. "Can we talk about something else? Oh, did you see the photo display that I made? It's in the main hall. Come on, let's go take a look."

She grabbed Phoenix's hand and let him into the manor, where he noticed a huge array of photographs pasted up against the back wall.

"Well?" Maya gestured at the photos excitedly. "What do you think? I worked really hard on this! It's a sort of photo-story of all the great stuff that Pearl and her friends have done together! There are a ton of pictures of you in here, too, Nick."

Phoenix spent some time looking at the photos. They had very obviously been taken by an amateur, and an amateur who wasn't so great with a camera at that. Several of the people in the pictures had their heads or limbs cut off by the edges of the photograph, and many photos were incredibly out of focus. Still, Phoenix couldn't help being impressed.

_Wow, _he realized. _We really have been through a whole bunch together, huh? Just look at all of this._

There were photos of him, little Pearl, and presumably Maya out on Gourd Lake. There were photos taken in the office of Pearl sitting on the floor and reading Phoenix's case notes to herself. One photo showed Pearl as a teenager, standing excitedly on her tiptoes and watching the antics of the fish at the Shipshape Aquarium, while Athena, Trucy, Phoenix and Apollo all smiled for the camera. There were several photos of Pearl and Trucy in various different rooms of the Fey manor, and many others of Pearl and Phoenix strolling hand in hand down streets of LA, eating noodles together or staring in shop windows and generally sightseeing.

"It's been fun," sighed Maya happily. "Hasn't it, Nick? I think so."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "I think so too. And we've got a lot more fun ahead of us, so maybe it's time to teach you how to use that camera the right way."

Maya crossed her arms and pretended to be annoyed. "What's wrong with my pictures? You're so rude, Nick. And I worked so hard on this, too."

Phoenix put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a friendly little squeeze. Maya resisted for a second, then gave up and put her head on his shoulder. They stood there in perfectly companionable silence for a few moments, gazing at Maya's handiwork.

_Oh, look, _thought Phoenix as he stared at the photographs. _Edgeworth's in a bunch of these pictures, too. _

There were several photographs of Edgeworth, never smiling of course, sitting with Pearl and Phoenix on the grass in the middle of a makeshift picnic, or standing outside of the courthouse right before a big trial. One picture showed Will Powers lifting a very young and very happy Pearl up onto his shoulders while Phoenix and Edgeworth both looked on nervously. Another picture showed Pearl graduating from her elementary school, all decked out in a cute little red cap and gown, while Edgeworth stood by, applauding seriously next to Phoenix, Trucy, Gumshoe and Maggey.

_He's pretty much been there the whole time, too, _Phoenix realized. _He's a big part of all of our lives. It's been that way since…well, since the beginning. _For some reason, Phoenix suddenly felt a little sad.

"I invited him, too," said Maya quietly, shaking her head, "But, he didn't come. He didn't even call. Uh, he did send a card, though, and a present. At least he didn't forget about Pearl."

"Of course not," mumbled Phoenix. "He's not a forgetful kind of guy. Shame he, uh, couldn't make it, though."

Maya looked like she wanted to say something else, but before she had a chance, Apollo strode into the room, followed almost immediately by Detective Dick Gumshoe.

"Hey, pal!" Gumshoe hurried over and shook Phoenix by the hand. "I've been looking all over for you! Maya, you do a great party! This is a huge hit! Congratulations!"

"Hey yourself," retorted Maya, smiling. "Nice to see you, again, Detective. Oh, where's Maggey?"

"Huh?" Gumshoe frowned. "Not sure, actually. Haven't seen her in an hour or so. Last time I saw her, she was chatting up Prosecutor Blackquill. She's a really great girl, my Maggey." He beamed proudly. "She's always making new friends."

Apollo winced. "Maggey's...sort of an energetic person, isn't she? Uh, Simon's not that social. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Maybe we should send Athena to go rescue him."

Gumshoe shot Apollo a hurt sort of look, and Phoenix coughed to cover a laugh.

"Hmm, you haven't seen her in an hour?" Maya frowned. "I think you'd better go find her before she gets arrested for murder, again."

"What?" Gumshoe blinked." That's, uh, not funny, pal."

_Right…and I don't' think she was joking, pal, _thought Phoenix.

"Huh, look at all those photographs," said Gumshoe, quickly and clumsily changing the subject. "Sure are a lot of' em. And hey, that's Mr. Edgeworth in that one, and in that one, too. He isn't here today, is he? That's a shame. I was hoping to thank him for coming to the wedding. Haven't had a chance to talk to him since, and it was real good of him to show up. Wasn't really expecting it, to tell you the truth."

"Edgeworth's busy today," Maya informed him, while Phoenix shifted awkwardly on his feet and found he couldn't meet anyone's eyes.

Apollo nodded. "I'm sure he is. The Chief Prosecutor has a lot on his plate, and he's a hard-working man. Oh...and that reminds me." Frowning, he turned and eyed Phoenix uncertainly. "Uh..Mr. Wright. Did you see that one article earlier this week?"

"That 'one article?'" Phoenix raised an eyebrow. _Oh, wait…he must be talking about the tabloid article._

"Yeah, on that 'News of the Weird,' site." Apollo made a face" "Oh, but maybe you didn't see it. Don't panic, or anything, seriously, but...Myriam Scuttlebutt's at it again. This time she, uh..." He swallowed. "She wrote a bunch of stuff about you and Prosecutor Edgeworth. You know, scandalous,' racy stuff. That kind of thing."

Gumshoe snorted. "That woman is crazy. Wait, you don't actually read that crap, do you? To think she'd go after Mr. Wright and Mr. Edgeworth, two of the best, most upstanding guys I've ever met. If I ever get my hands on her, I'll..." He made two fists, shaking his head menacingly. "Well, I'll give her more than a stern-talking to, that's all I'm saying."

Apollo just shrugged. "Honestly, it didn't bother me that much."

_What? _Phoenix blinked. _Why not? Don't I deserve a little loyalty from my subordinates after almost two years? Jeez. _

"I mean, it was just...too nuts," Apollo was saying. "A lot of the stuff in on that website is really out there, but...Mr. Wright and Mr. Edgeworth? I just can't imagine that. The Chief Prosecutor seems like such a cold person. He' too serious for 'scandals' and love affairs. Actually, if I"m being honest, he's a pretty intimidating person, and he's super severe. I've only seen him once, and it was really more of a grimace than a smile."

Suddenly and irrationally, Phoenix was annoyed. "Wait, come on, Edgeworth's not that bad. He could fall for someone...maybe even me. It's unlikely, but it's not as crazy as you're making it sound. Anything's possible, right?"

Maya looked startled. "What? Um…wait, but Nick, weren't you the one who said that something like that could never happen?"

"Well…yeah, of course." Phoenix shook his head. "And I meant that. It…probably wouldn't ever happen, and it's not like I'm saying I'd ever want it to happen, but it's not really as far-fetched as all that. Uh, no, look, what I'm trying to say is-!"

Apollo was frowning thoughtfully at one of the photographs, slowly shaking his head. "Nah…I just don't' see it. He's the guy that everyone calls the 'demon' prosecutor, or the 'robot,' right? Don't get me wrong. Like I said, I sort of like the guy. He's about the best Chief Prosecutor that L.A.'s ever had, but I can't exactly imagine him getting all hot and bothered about another guy. He's…uh, what's the word I'm looking for? 'Deliberate.' Yeah, that's it. He doesn't 'do anything without having a good reason for it, and he's intensely focused on his work. He seems like the kind of person who'd let his work become his whole life, and he probably doesn't have any time for messy romances."

_You have no idea what you're talking about, Apollo, _thought Phoenix. _You don't know Edgeworth like I do. He's actually a very sensitive person, and he's been through a lot of pain over the years. He's cold because he has to be, because doesn't want people to think that he's weak, Even so, he's still human. He's not some kind of soulless monster. _

Gumshoe was now glaring at Apollo. "Hey, look, pal," he snarled. "I'm not gonna let anybody talk about Mr. Edgeworth like that. Sure, he's...a little distant, sometimes, but it's not like he doesn't have any feelings. He's not a 'robot' or whatever it was you just said. He's just, uh...he's just kinda quiet, and really busy a lot. Anyway, he's a great guy, and an even better prosecutor!"

For once, Phoenix felt that he and Gumshoe were on the same side. _Right, _he thought, nodding. _You tell, him, Detective. _

"Nick," said Maya, "you look sort of angry. Are you okay? Oh, maybe you're getting hungry. I'm always angry when I'm hungry. There's a buffet out back, if everything hasn't been eaten yet."

She gave him a little nudge, and he turned, blinked, and then nodded slowly. "Y-yeah, sure. That's not a bad idea. I'll, uh…I'll be back in a few minutes. See you later, Detective."

Without even bothering to acknowledge Apollo, Phoenix headed back out of the manor, while Maya turned to talk to Gumshoe. His head felt fuzzy and his face was warm, and suddenly getting out of that room really did seem like a very good idea.

_I am angry, _he realized. _But…why? What's wrong with me, all of a sudden? Is it just because of what Gumshoe said? But he didn't mean any harm. Still, he didn't have to lay it on quite so thick. Is the idea of Edgeworth having feelings for me really so strange? Is that what people really think of him? He's not like that at all…_

As it turned out, the buffet wasn't exactly empty, but it was deserted No one else was around when Phoenix arrived at the row of long tables, and he made himself a quick plate before sitting down and taking a deep breath.

_I'm so confused, _he thought. _My head's a mess. Damnit, Edgeworth, how come you always manage to make my life more complicated, even when we're out of court?_

"Mr. Nick?" Pearl poked her head around the door of the Manor and saw him. "Oh, are you here all by yourself? Where's Mystic Maya?"

Phoenix gestured at the door. "She's in the main hall with Gumshoe. I, uh, just needed a little fresh air. No need to worry about me. I'll be back in a few minutes. Are you enjoying your birthday party?"

Pearl beamed. "Oh yes, very much. It was so nice for you and Mystic Maya to go out of your way and to work so hard on this for me. I really, really appreciate it."

"Glad to hear you're having fun," mumbled Phoenix. "Oh, but…I didn't really do anything. It was all Maya's idea."

He fell silent, and Pearl watched him for a moment, her smile fading a little bit.

"Mr. Nick," she said uncertainly. "You, um…don't look like you're having a lot of fun."

_Get it together, Phoenix, _he thought. _Let's not be the old guy who goes all gloomy and spoils the party. _"Oh, don't worry about me," he said aloud, waving that away as best he could. "I'm fine, Pearls, just a little tired. It's been…a really long week, in a lot of ways."

"Oh…I see." Pearl shifted uncomfortably. "M-Mr. Nick, I should probably tell you…Mystic Maya already told me about what happened between you and Mr. Edgeworth."

Phoenix froze. "She…she WHAT?" _What would she do a thing like that for? And to tell PEARL, of all people!_

"Uh," he began desperately, making a hasty effort at damage control, "look, Pearl, it's not what you think."

Pearl just shook her head. "No, it's okay. I don't mind." She came over and sat down next to Phoenix at the table. "Um, to tell you the truth, I've known for a long time that you and Mystic Maya aren't in love."

"You…know?" Phoenix wasn't sure what to say. "Uh, well that's…I mean, are you okay with that?"

"Of course!" Pearl gave him a bright little smile. "Do you know something, Mr. Nick? All I ever wanted was for you and Mystic Maya to be as happy as you could possibly be. And…even if you aren't Mystic Maya's 'special someone,' you still make her really, really happy. I mean…no, I have it wrong. You sort of are her 'special someone,' just not in exactly the way I thought. I mean, you're very special to her. I think she's very special to you, too. Even though you're not in love, you've never left her, or let her down. That's what's really important. I know she can trust you to always be there, so…I know that I can trust you, too. I feel safe with you, and Mystic Maya does too."

Phoenix wasn't quite sure what to say.

"So," Pearl went on, "um, I'm not worried anymore. I know you aren't going away, like the other men. If…if you want to go and find someone else to fall in love with, I think that would make me happy, too."

For a moment, silence stretched out between them. Pearl kicked her feet against the table legs, and from somewhere inside the Manor, someone started to laugh.

"Thanks, Pearl." Phoenix shook his head. "Wow. You really have grown up, huh?"

Pearl just shrugged. "I guess I have. But…while I was growing up, I learned something from you and Mystic Maya. I learned that it's hard to find someone who'll stay with you through thick and thin, but that it's not impossible. My Dad left, and Mystic Maya's Dad left, and most of the men left, but…you didn't. I think if you find that person who you can really trust, it's important to take good care of him or her. Really reliable people are so rare. If you find someone who'll stick with you, you have to cherish them and give them all the love you can, because they're special and you might never find another person like that ever again. Um…does that make sense?"

Phoenix thought about Edgeworth, and about the countless photos of him on the Manor wall.

_He's been there since the beginning, _thought Phoenix. _No matter what, and no matter how strange things get, I've always been able to count on him when I need him. Maybe Pearl's right. Maybe that's not just important. Maybe it's the most important thing there is. _

"Mr. Nick?" Pearl looked worried. "You're so quiet. Did I…say too much? It isn't my business, I know, but-!"

Phoenix shook his hand, and he gave Pearl's hand a reassuring little squeeze. "No," he told her, "you're right. Thanks, Pearls. I think I needed to hear you say that more than I realized."

**Fin.**

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**Author's Note: **There were a LOT of feelings in this chapter, probably because I just got back from yet another wedding, and I am full of feelings tonight. I'm honestly not sure if I like this piece or not. I'm very curious to hear your opinions. If you have a chance, please do leave a review and let me know! Thanks so much for taking the time.


	7. At Last, My Turnabout - Six

**Chapter Six: I Want You to Want Me**

**October 14, 2028**

**3:00 PM**

**Eldoon's Noodles**

A long but relatively uneventful week dragged by, and the Wright Anything Agency fell into something of a slump. Despite Apollo and Athena's recent spectacular victory in court, there were no new clients, and that afternoon Phoenix found himself in the thankless role of ambulance-chaser, pounding the pavement in hopes of finding someone desperate enough to pay for a good lawyer.

Sometime long after noon with no leads to show for all of his effort, Phoenix stopped by Eldoon's Noodles to pick up some lunch. There he found Trucy munching on hot noodles with Klavier Gavin, perched on the back of his parked motorcycle.

"Daddy!" She jumped off the bike and ran over as soon as she saw him. "Oh, you look tired. No luck?"

Phoenix was busy frowning at Gavin's motorcycle. "No…I'm afraid not," he muttered, shaking his head. "Not this time, anyway. I suppose a lack of local murder cases is something a father should be thankful for. I'll sleep better at night knowing that my daughter lives in a city where a good defense attorney can't find any work…I think."

Gavin shrugged. "Ach, well," he sighed, "consider yourself lucky, Herr Wright. At least you're better off than the poor sap who's defending up at the courthouse today."

"Hmm? How's that?" Phoenix raised an eyebrow. _What's happening today? Oh, wait, no, I remember seeing something about this in the papers. Isn't today the big trial for the murder of Randy M. Persons? They found him drowned in his own indoor pool, alone in a locked house in the middle of the night. Yeah, now that you mention it, Gavin, I am pretty glad we didn't get that case. Everyone's pretty sure that the butler did it…even me. _

"Ja," continued Gavin. "What was the name of the lawyer handling that butler's defense? Law, I think. John E. Law. I'm afraid Herr Law doesn't stand a shadow of a chance. As both Herr Blackquill and I are unavailable today for various personal reasons, the prosecution of the infamous butler falls to Herr Edgeworth. He is, as they say, a demon in the courtroom. I have been privileged many times to see him work…from the same side of the courtroom. I would not relish being in the defense's shoes today."

"Really?" Trucy frowned. "Daddy, is Mr. Edgeworth really that scary?"

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix, _he sure is, when he wants to be. I've faced him in the courtroom more times than I can count, and he can be pretty ruthless when he knows the evidence is on his side. He's too clever to get tripped up by any of the new 'misdirection' tactics they're teaching at the Academy these days. Still, if the case is really as airtight as the papers are making it sound, doesn't having Edgeworth as prosecutor seem like overkill? Oh, well._

"Achtung," announced Gavin, pumping one fist into the air. "Herr Edgeworth is going to crush that green defense attorney like an ant."

_Green? _Phoenix raised an eyebrow. _Wait, how old are you, again? _

Gavin glanced down at his very expensive-looking watch. "Or perhaps the crushing is already over. The trial's been going on for an hour already. It's a shame I had to miss it, but I'd never consider passing up a lunch invitation from the lovely Fraulein Wright."

Gavin flashed Trucy one of his best, stage-perfect smiles, and Trucy giggled appreciatively.

_Oh no you don't, _thought Phoenix, clearing his throat pointedly and giving Gavin a very stern look. _Turn off the charm, Gavin. She's only seventeen! Don't forget, I know exactly how to kill you and get away with it. I've been studying murder methods in the courtroom for longer than you've been alive….almost. Anyway, I know what works. _

"Daddy," suggested Trucy suddenly, breaking through Phoenix's malevolent fatherly reverie, "Maybe you should go to the courthouse. The trial might not be over yet, and you can probably catch Mr. Edgeworth before he leaves."

"What?" Phoenix turned to her, surprised. "But, why would I want to-?"

"Oh, I just thought you might want to talk to him," interrupted Trucy smoothly, before Phoenix even had a chance to finish the thought. "You haven't seen him in a few days, right? Actually, it's been almost a couple of weeks, now. He's going to win this case, isn't he? You should go congratulate him. I bet he'll be super happy to see you!"

Trucy's face was a mask of pure, filial innocence, and Phoenix was absolutely unconvinced. _Uh oh, _he realized. _Pearl and Trucy do spend a lot of time together, don't they? I bet they share all their secrets…and most of mine, too. This is bad._ He cleared his throat, hoping he didn't look as uncomfortable as he suddenly felt.

Gavin either didn't notice, or was enough of a gentleman to pretend he hadn't seen. "Ja," he agreed. "If you hurry, you can probably still catch him."

Phoenix shook his head. "But,' he protested weakly, "I'm still waiting for my order. My noodles aren't done, and I'm starving. So, I can't-!"

"I'll bring them back to the office for you, Daddy," offered Trucy helpfully.

Phoenix gave up. _W-well, _he told himself, _I guess now's as god a time as any. She's right about one thing. I do need to see him. There's a lot we still have to clear up, and there's something I really need to say. To the courthouse it is, then..._

**A few minutes later, outside Courtroom Number 3…**

Phoenix was waiting in the lobby when the courtroom doors open and the onlookers began streaming out.

"It almost feels anticlimactic," complained one large woman as she and her friend made for the courthouse exit. "I mean, he was obviously guilty. Couldn't you tell just by looking at him? I knew the moment I walked in; that man was no good! Of course they convicted him!"

Her mousey friend just shook her head. "But…but, Edith, that prosecutor! Wasn't he handsome? Oh, I'd come again and again just to see him work! He gets that wonderful, intense look in his eyes when he's moving in for the kill, and that sleek way he shouts "objection," really gets my heart pounding! I wonder if he's single? Oh, do you think I should ask? But really, that would be so embarrassing…" She tittered.

The woman named Edith raised a startled eyebrow at her friend. "Elga, really. I'm surprised at you. At your age!"

The two women left the building, still chatting animatedly, and Phoenix frowned at the courtroom door.

_So, Edgeworth won after all, _he thought. _Not that I'm surprised. Where is he, though? Don't tell me he's gone already._

As if on cue, Edgeworth suddenly appeared in the doorway, along with the Bailiff and a police officer whom Phoenix didn't recognize. They exchanged a few brief, inaudible words, and then a second police officer appeared, leading the infamous, murderous butler roughly by the arm. While the bailiff and the two officers escorted their prisoner away, Edgeworth stood and watched, apparently still oblivious of Phoenix's presence.

Suddenly, Phoenix was nervous. His palms were sweaty, and he shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to stave off an inconvenient and unexpected wave of panic. _Am I actually doing this? I'm…not, am I? I mean, this is Miles Edgeworth we're talking about. This is a really, really bad idea...and I'm going to do it anyway. Gah, and I thought the guy made me nervous before. That was nothing! Feels like my very first day in court all over again…_

Edgeworth started for the door, and Phoenix cleared his throat awkwardly. Edgeworth spun around to face him, froze, and stared.

"Wright," he managed. "You…? Why are you lurking over there?"

"Lurking?" Phoenix grinned and ran an anxious hand through his hair. "Me? Nah, I'm not 'lurking,' exactly. You just, uh, looked busy. I didn't want to interrupt."

"Ah. I see." Edgeworth frowned. For a long moment, they stood looking at one another, the air around them getting tenser and heavier by the second.

"So," fumbled Phoenix desperately, "uh, how've you been? We missed you at Pearl's birthday party. She sends her love. Trucy does, too. Oh, and, uh, Maya says hi."

"Thank you." Edgeworth nodded curtly. "Please send them my regards. I trust the party went well."

_Y-yeah, _thought Phoenix. _It did, I think. Actually, I wasn't paying too much attention to the party. I was busy having a mind-numbing existential crisis, or something. _

Again, the conversation flagged, and again, Phoenix made an attempt.

"Looks like you won your case today," he remarked, plastering on a friendly smile that made his face feel funny. "Uh, good for you. Not that I'm surprised, or anything."

Edgeworth just shrugged. "He was guilty," he said "The evidence spoke for itself. Little assistance on my part was required."

_Right. _Phoenix sighed. _Of course he'd say that. This is…going nowhere very quickly. Okay, Phoenix. It's probably now or never. Here goes…_

"So," he said before he could think better of it and stop himself. "Are you doing anything later? Uh, I mean, do you have plans? I thought maybe we could celebrate your big win. How do you feel about Chinese food?"

"N-no, thank you, Wright." Edgeworth was now pointedly looking at anything but Phoenix."I, ah, do appreciate the offer, but I feel that in light of recent developments, it might be best if we curtailed our usual activities for a time."

'_Recent developments,' huh? _Phoenix frowned. "You mean, we should keep our distance so that Scuttlebutt doesn't get any more 'incriminating evidence?'"

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth carefully. "That, of course, and also…" He adjusted his collar, straightened up, and paled ever-so-slightly as he spoke. "The…nature of our relationship has changed, I'm afraid. It would be unwise and naïve at this point to pretend that is not the case. You do understand, don't you, Wright?"

He raised an eyebrow, and Phoenix nodded.

"Oh, uh, yeah, I understand. Sure," he said. "The 'nature of our relationship' is definitely kind of weird, now. That's actually why I'm asking you to dinner."

"Wright." Edgeworth narrowed his eyes. "This isn't a joke."

"I know that!" Phoenix was starting to get frustrated. "There's nothing funny about it!"

"In that case," retorted Edgeworth, "why do I feel as though I am being mocked? You offer to treat me to a celebratory dinner, almost as though…as though…" He didn't seem to be able to finish the sentence.

"Almost like I'm asking you out on a date?" Phoenix nodded. "Yeah, well, that's probably because I'm…asking you out on a date. I mean, that's what I'm trying to do, anyway. I'm not doing such a great job, I admit, but this is kind of new territory for us, so can you cut me some slack and just go with it?"

Edgeworth's face was completely blank. "What?"

_Oh for crying out loud, he's really gonna make this that hard? _Phoenix threw up his hands. "Are we really gonna do it this way? Fine. Miles Edgeworth, can I please take you out to dinner? It doesn't have to be dinner. I'm not even that hungry. Whatever. Do you have another idea? Where would you like to go? Can I take you there? Please?"

Phoenix's heart was pounding in his chest, and his face felt hot, although he couldn't figure out if that was from annoyance, nerves, or some unpleasant combination of the two. Edgeworth was now staring slack-jawed, as though Phoenix had suddenly grown a terrifying second head.

"What?" He closed his mouth, opened it again, and demanded, "What is the meaning of this nonsense? Where is it coming from, so suddenly?"

_Uh, well…it's kind of a long story, and Pearl tells it better than I do, _thought Phoenix. "Look," he said out loud. "Honestly, I don't know if this is a bad idea or not, but I've been thinking about what you said, and about how long we've known each other. You're sort of, um…important to me, you know? A-anyway, maybe I've been looking at our, uh, association the wrong way. Maybe there could be something here. Like I said, I'm not sure, and I'm kind of flying by the seat of my pants right now, but it doesn't feel as totally crazy as I thought it would, and that has to be a good sign. Right?"

Edgeworth just continued to stare.

"So, uh," finished Phoenix desperately, "I really want to stop talking about this because I can hear myself, and I sound like an idiot. Can I please take you out? Let's just…let's just see where this goes. Okay?"

"I…" Edgeworth was obviously and genuinely stunned. "I…no. Certainly not. Absolutely out of the question."

"What?" Phoenix blinked.

"I said," repeated Edgeworth, "No. Thank you, but no. I respectfully decline."

"But," demanded Phoenix, "Why? Why not? Why would you say that? I thought this was what you wanted. You can't say no. That's…that's just not a thing you can say."

Edgeworth narrowed his eyes. "I have every right to refuse you," he announced in what was beginning to sound like his aggressive prosecutor voice. "I refuse you on the grounds of your own testimony, as presented only moments ago in your final damning statement! You claim that 'you thought this was what I wanted.' Is that what you think, Mr. Wright? Is this some sort of beneficent act of charity on your part? Be warned, Mr. Wright, what I do not want is your pity!"

Edgeworth turned on his heel and started towards the door. Hastily, Phoenix stepped in front of him and cut him off.

"Wait," he began, holding out both hands in protest. "H-hold it just a second. I think maybe I said that wrong. I didn't mean that I'm asking you out because I I thought you wanted me to. I'm asking you because I think I-!"

Edgeworth, however, clearly wasn't interested in hearing the rest. Without a second glance, he shoved Phoenix roughly out of the way and stormed out of the courthouse. Phoenix could see the thunder and the traces of hurt in Edgeworth's face as the Chief Prosecutor turned the corner and made for the parking lot.

"But…oh, come on!" Phoenix buried his head in his hands, his temples now throbbing from the onset of to many complicated and unwelcome emotions all converging at once. "Gah! Edgeworth, why do you always have to be so…you?"

**Fin.**

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**Author's Note: **I'd like to thank **Ersatz Writer** for giving some excellent suggestions, and for helping me to clean up the previous chapter (Pictures of You.) If you're interested in seeing the better version of the chapter, I encourage you to please go back and take a look! I like it much better now than I did originally. Knew there was something wrong with it..

Ah, my perfectionism is showing. Beg pardon. Where did I leave my stress ball?


	8. At Last, My Turnabout - Seven

**Author's Note: **I…don't like Apollo, but I'm going to make an effort to paint him sympathetically, here. I suppose that's my writing challenge for the day. I need to write actual dialogue for Apollo that doesn't make him sound like an asshole. Ready Here goes.

Oh, and this episode is a little long, so I've broken it down into two slightly shorter segments.

* * *

**Chapter Seven: When I Was Your Man – Part One**

**October 20, 2028**

**7:00 PM**

**Tres Bien**

"Mmmm…wow," mumbled Maya around a bite of her very elaborately plated dinner. "This is amazing! Actually…that's weird, isn't it? It feels sort of wrong eating in this restaurant and actually enjoying it. I keep thinking of that one case, and of that awful lunch. Nick, those two bites of that horrible stuff still haunt my dreams. Sometimes. I think maybe I need therapy."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "You really have to hand it to the new management. They've turned this restaurant around. It's a huge success, now, and after eating here tonight, I can see why."

"Right?" Maya grinned. "We should do this more often! Hey, actually, why don't we do this more often?"

_Not so fast, _thought Phoenix, eyeing the expensive looking dishes on the table. _Something tells me that when we get the bill, my wallet is going to start hurting._

Maya was now frowning thoughtfully down at her plate. "I wonder why Hugh wanted to eat here, though. I mean, sure, he's a pretty classy guy, but…this still seems like a bit much. I wonder if it's a special occasion. Oh, maybe it's his birthday. Is it Hugh's birthday today, Nick? Should we have brought presents?"

Phoenix looked across the table at Hugh O'Connor in his dazzlingly well-tailored suit, and Robin Newman in a very pretty polka-dot dress that actually suited her a lot better than Phoenix would have expected. She looked delighted, but Hugh, uncharacteristically, looked sort of uncomfortable, and his gaze kept sliding over to Juniper Woods, who was deep in animated conversation with Athena and Apollo.

"Somehow," began Phoenix slowly, "I don't think this is a birthday party. I think Hugh might have another special occasion in mind…"

"Huh?" Maya blinked. "What do you mean? What kind of-?"

Suddenly, Hugh cleared his throat and got to his feet. Robin beamed at him, and Juniper, Athena, and Apollo all fell silent to listen to whatever he had to say."

"Ahem," he began, nodding at Juniper, and flashing her a pretty good smile. "Thank you, everyone, for coming today. I wanted you to all to be witness to what I'm about to say, and to what I'm about to prove. As always, I strive for perfection in everything, and with that intention I endeavored to create the most 100 percent perfect possible moment for my confession. You've all contributed to making that perfect moment a reality, and I'm grateful for that."

_Huh, _thought Phoenix. _I thought we were over all that 'perfection' stuff. I guess old habits die hard._

By now, Hugh was idly fingering the "Proof of Friendship" badge around his neck, and Robin looked like she was about to explode with excitement. Reaching out, she grasped Maya's hand in hers, and Phoenix saw Maya wince as Robin squeezed her hand a little more emphatically than was probably necessary.

"Oh, maaaaaan! He's really going to do it! He's really going to ask her," breathed Robin, eyes wide. "Hee hee! I'm so happy! I can barely breathe!"

"M-me too," managed Maya, wrenching her hand away from Robin and massaging it ruefully. "Wait, um…what are we so happy about, exactly?"

"Juniper," continued Hugh carefully. "You and I both know that for a long time, our friendship has meant more to me than anything else in the world."

Juniper nodded uncertainly. "I…well, yes, of course that's true. You know I feel the same way."

Hugh nodded. "I'm happy to hear that. I never want anything to compromise or tarnish that friendship, of course, but…well, as you know, over time, relationships do evolve and change. I hope that the three of us will always remain close, even if the nature of our bonds do have to undergo some reconsideration."

Robin pumped her fist enthusiastically. "Of course! Junie, you, Hugh, and I will always be together, no matter what! YEAAAAAAH! I'm sure of it!"

"Thank you, Robin." Hugh flashed her a quick, grateful little smile that made him look just slightly more human. Slowly, he sank down to one knee, and took a little velvet box out of his suit pocket.

"Juniper Woods," he said shakily. "You heard what Robin just said. We're destined to be together forever, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

Opening the box, he produced a glistening diamond ring. Phoenix couldn't help wondering just how many long hours he'd had to pull working construction and various other odd jobs in order to get the money together to buy it.

"Eek! Nick!" Maya gasped and clutched at his arm. Both of Athena's hands flew to her mouth in surprise, and Juniper looked stunned.

"I…Hugh, I…!" She stared at the ring, then up into Hugh's face, and then over at Robin.

"Please, Junie?" Little beads of sweat were now dripping down Hugh's neck from underneath the "Proof of Friendship" collar." Say you will. I…I promise that our life together will be 100 percent perfect, or…or least as perfect as I can possibly make it for you. I'll do everything I can. I'll work even harder. I'll make everything that's happened in the past up to you. This, I promise."

"Junie," insisted Robin, "it'll be great! We'll hang out all the time! It'll be, uh…perfect! Hee hee! Please say yes! I can't wait for us all to have a future together!"

Juniper was still gazing at the ring, and now she, too, was fingering her "Proof of Friendship" charm. Somehow, Phoenix didn't think she looked as happy as Robin did. There was something uncertain and doubtful in Juniper's eyes as she glanced back and forth between Hugh and Apollo.

_Oh, _he thought, realization suddenly dawning. _Oh, so that's how it is. Huh…I had no idea. Maybe I need to start paying closer attention to what my own understudy's up to. Wait, but, poor Apollo. This isn't good. _

Apollo had gone pale, and even Athena looked a little bit worried. Juniper's eyes met Apollo's for a moment, but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. She bit her lip, then sighed, and turned back to Hugh.

"O-okay," she said in a very small voice. "I mean…yes, of course. I…I accept. I'm sure we'll be v-very happy together."

"O-objection," whispered Apollo hoarsely, although Phoenix was sure no one else had heard.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeh!" Robin jumped to her feet, hurried over, and threw her arms around both Juniper and Hugh at the same time." This is SO GREAAAAAAAAAT! You're gonna get married! You're going to be sooooo happy! I'm so happy! Wait, why do I feel like I'm the one getting married, here? Ohmigosh this is so perfect!"

Juniper hazarded an uncertain little smile. Athena did her best to smile back.

Apollo, on the other hand, didn't seem to be able to manage it. Standing up from the table, he pushed in his chair, and turned for the door.

"Excuse me," he mumbled. "I, uh…I think I'm just gonna get some fresh air. I'm not…feeling so good."

Athena watched him leave the restaurant, obviously torn between going with him and staying with Juniper.

Under the table, Maya kicked Phoenix hard in the shin.

"Ow!" Phoenix winced and glared at her. "What? Why would you do that?"

"Nick, you have to go after him," she hissed. "You're his 'mentor,' right? Go on, go find him and say something wise and 'mentor'-ish. He probably needs you, right now."

_We…don't exactly have that kind of relationship, Maya, _thought Phoenix. Athena, however, was now looking at him expectantly across the table. Sighing, he stood up, turned around, and headed for the door.

Phoenix found Apollo outside, standing in front of the flowery "Tres Bien" restaurant sign with both hands shoved into his pockets. He didn't turn around when Phoenix approached, and for a second they stood there side by side in manly silence. Phoenix cleared his throat.

"Uh, so," he began. "That was…unexpected, huh?"

"I-I guess," mumbled Apollo. "Or, um, maybe not. Hugh's sort of had a thing for Junie for a long time. You could tell. Um, at least, I could tell. Not that I ever expected him to pull a stunt like this. Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention." He sighed.

_Don't blame yourself too much, _thought Phoenix, imagining Edgeworth. _Those confessions of love just seem to come out of nowhere, sometimes. Could happen to anybody. _

"You and Juniper," he said. "You, uh, had a thing?" _Oh, great, _he thought. _That was articulate. They 'had a thing.' Aren't I supposed to be pretty good with words? It's a lot easier in the courtroom. Inside the courtroom, life makes sense. There are facts involved. In the real world, everything always seems to get messy and emotional. This is a perfect example. _

"No, we didn't." Apollo shook his head. "I mean…hah, Athena always used to say that Junie had a crush on me, and I guess she probably did. She shows up at all of my trials to cheer me on, and she even made me that awful scarf. I, uh…I guess I sort of got used to her being there. It was nice. I liked having her around. MaybeI sort of thought of her like she was my biggest fan. You know, she was 'my' Junie, even though we'd never exactly talked about it. Athena's gonna be mad at me about that, and say I'm a 'typical guy.' She'll chew me out after dinner tonight, but maybe I deserve it. Maybe I was stupid for not saying anything to Junie before. It's too late now, anyway." He snorted a derisive little laugh. "What am I gonna do, run back in there and shout 'objection?' Nah, maybe that would have made sense a few months ago, but not now. Now I'm just screwed."

Phoenix wasn't sure what to do. _Yeah, well, _he admitted to himself, _it's hard to argue with that. I mean, she's already engaged to another guy, now. Looks like you missed your window, Apollo. I…honestly have no idea where you go from here. It's not like I have a ton of experience with this stuff. _

"Well?" Suddenly, Apollo turned around to face Phoenix. "What did you come out here for, Mr. Wright? Were you worried I was gonna start playing in traffic, or did Athena send you?"

Phoenix frowned. "Um, sort of? I think this is the part where I'm supposed to give you some sage advice to help solve your romantic quandary, although, uh, admittedly I'm kind of at a loss, right now. Sorry."

Apollo gave Phoenix a wry sort of smile. "Seriously? Well, thanks for trying, I think, and no offense or anything, but you're probably the last person in the world who should be giving out love advice."

"Huh?" Phoenix blinked. "Wait, what?"

"We should go back in before anyone else comes looking for us," suggested Apollo. "Let's go, Mr. Wright."

With that, Apollo made for the restaurant doors again, leaving Phoenix not entirely sure if he'd just been insulted.

"Hey, wait a second," he called after Apollo's retreating back. "What do you mean, 'the last person in the world who should be giving out love advice?' What are you trying to say, exactly?"

Apollo either didn't hear him, or chose to ignore him. Phoenix ended up standing on his own, feeling like an idiot as several couples strode arm-in-arm out of the restaurant and went off looking for their cars.

_Physician, _he thought, _heal thyself, huh? Is that what Apollo's trying to say? Wait, first Pearl, then Trucy, and now Apollo's dropping hints about my love life? Is there anybody who doesn't know about what's going on between me and Edgeworth? Damnit, TRUCY!_

**Fin. **

* * *

**Author's End Note: **Well, I tried. I've got a secret "Apollo" project going on at the moment that might help me learn to paint in a slightly less vitriolic light. For now, let's just worry about moving on to the next chapter. The next chapter has more Edgeworth! More awkward Phoenix! More romantic failures! Courtroom courtship! Yeah, let's focus on that instead.


	9. At Last, My Turnabout - Eight

**Author's Note: **So, for those of you who have read/are reading **Turnabout to Save Haven, **you may notice some similarities between a chapter in that story, and this chapter. There is a romantic courtroom scene in that story which shares some elements with this one.

I apologize for the very slight overlap and for an apparent lack of originality, but I think that after you read this chapter, you'll see why I wanted to include this scene. Please, when you're done reading, let me know if you agree.

* * *

**Chapter Eight: When I Was Your Man – Part Two**

**October 22, 2028**

**1:00 PM**

**Outside Courtroom Number 5**

A couple of days after Hugh's unexpected proposal to Juniper, the entire Wright Anything Agency found themselves at the courthouse on separate errands. Apollo and Athena were defending a nineteen year old college student who'd been accused of poisoning his ex-girlfriend to death in the chemistry lab. Phoenix himself was defending a remarkably obtuse woman named Clair who had allegedly been responsible for a series of complex local confidence schemes. Elsewhere in a third courtroom, hapless newbie defense attorney John. E. Law was apparently defending a case of his own involving a messy shooting at a department store. Phoenix wasn't sorry to have missed out on that one.

_It's true what they say, _thought Phoenix. _I guess evil does come in threes. Or, uh, maybe what I mean is, 'when it rains, it pours.' Something like that. _

Although no one could speak to the success of Mr. Law, Phoenix and his subordinates had a very rewarding day. Apollo and Athena won their case against Prosecutor Winston Payne, and Phoenix scored another victory over Klavier Gavin, who took the loss just as equably as ever. By one o'clock in the afternoon, Phoenix met up with Athena in the lobby, his ears still ringing with the cries of "objection!" and the shouts of an unusually vindictive gallery of onlookers.

" Mr. Wright!" Athena grinned and gave him two enthusiastic thumbs-up signs. "Looks like it's another great day to be an attorney for the Wright Anything Agency! Two wins in four hours! I say this calls for some noodles of triumph! I can call Trucy and have her meet us at Eldoon's. How about it?"

Phoenix frowned. "Uh, sure, Thena, but…where's Apollo?"

"Oh." Athena's smile faded ever so slightly. "He's around somewhere. Junie and Hugh came to watch the trial, so he might still be talking to them."

_Uh oh, _thought Phoenix., "Junie and Hugh, huh?"

"Y-yeah," sighed Athena. "It was…sort of awkward, obviously."

"Yeah, I bet," said Phoenix. "Listen, Athena, I don't mean to be nosy, but how's Apollo doing? Is he holding up okay?"

Athena went instantly on the defensive. "Huh? Oh, Pollo's fine! He was in perfect form today! You should have seen him in that trial, boss! Apollo's at the top of his game! You would have been thrilled!"

"I'm sure he was," insisted Phoenix, shaking his head, "but I'm not asking about his courtroom performance. I know he's a good lawyer with a very professional attitude. Honestly I'm just worried about him." _And, _he told himself, _something tells me that Apollo would just get annoyed if I asked him myself. He's proud, and I'm sure he doesn't want his employer involved in his personal life. Still, even if I'm 'the worst person to be handing out love advice,' all the evidence points to him being completely heartbroken. I hope he'll at least talk to someone about it. Trucy, maybe, or Athena._

"Boss…" Athena was now beaming at Phoenix. "You're so sweet."

"Huh? Uh, no, no, I'm not," muttered Phoenix. "I just-!"

"I think Apollo would be really happy if he knew how much you cared," continued Athena. "And…yeah, he's taking it pretty hard, but he'll be okay. No, he'll be fine! He's always fine!"

_And that, _thought Phoenix, _is exactly what I'm afraid of. He's always 'fine,' even when he's not 'fine' at all. _

By this point, Phoenix and Athena were passing by courtroom 2, heading towards the exit and subsequently the parking lot. Just as Phoenix was trying to figure out if he should press Athena a little more about Apollo's heartbroken condition, the doors to courtroom 2 swung open and people began piling out, chatting animatedly amongst themselves.

Phoenix thought he recognized two older women who'd apparently been watching the trial.

"Oh, Edith," said one woman to the other, "he did it again! That wonderful, handsome prosecutor got his 'guilty' verdict in no time at all!"

"That's true," agreed Edith. "But you have to admit that the man really did look guilty. He was just…a very clearly guilty man. You could see it in his eyes, and in that shifty way he walks!"

Edith's friend, who Phoenix vaguely remembered was named "Elga" sighed. "Oh, but if it meant I could get close to that prosecutor, I think I'd even enjoy being declared guilty. He has such amazing eyes…"

Edith threw up her hands. "Really, Elga, it's just embarrassing the way you go on."

The rest of their conversation as lost as the two women left the courthouse, along with the rest of the throng.

"Uh oh," said Athena. "I guess that means Mr. Law lost his case, again. Oh well. Better luck next time, I guess!"

_Yeah, _agreed Phoenix, watching as the unfortunate Mr. Law's client was led out of the courthouse by the bailiff and a couple of police officers. _Looks like Edgeworth was prosecuting again. _

Edgeworth and Law were now standing in the courtroom, having a few inaudible words with the judge. As Phoenix and Athena watched, Law shrugged dejectedly, turned around, and strode out of the courtroom.

"Um," began Athena as Law walked by. "Mr. Law, I-!"

Law completely ignored her, and headed for the parking lot without giving her a second look.

"Aw, man." Athena frowned. "I just wanted to give him a little encouragement."

Phoenix gave her shoulder a comforting little squeeze. "That was nice of you, but he probably doesn't want to talk about it right now." _You're also at least five years younger than him, Athena, _he thought. _Somehow I think he'd just resent your pity, even if you are really trying to be friendly._

The judge began collecting some papers that were sitting on top of his bench, and then he, too, took a few careful and wobbly steps down before making his way towards the doors. Edgeworth was now alone in the courtroom.

"Mr. Wright," asked Athena, "aren't' you going to go and congratulate Mr. Edgeworth?"

"Uh…y-yeah, of course I am." Phoenix tried not to sound as suddenly anxious as he felt. _We haven't said a word to one another since I, uh, sort of failed to ask him out. This is either going to be an extremely short conversation, or a very, very awkward one. Could be both. _

Athena was now watching him expectantly. "I'll wait for you, here," she promised. "When Apollo comes back, we can all go and get some noodles!"

She gave him a little nudge into the courtroom, and Phoenix began walking towards Edgeworth with a growing feeling of trepidation. Edgeworth had his back turned, and Phoenix managed to go right up to him without Edgeworth even noticing.

"Uh," he began, clearing his throat. "Edgeworth!"

Edgeworth spun around. His eyes widened in surprise, and he instantly took a step back. "W-Wright. What is it?"

_Jeez, _thought Phoenix, _I don't bite. _

"Oh, I just wanted to say," he began, "congratulations."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow.

"You know," Phoenix went on. "Congratulations for your big win. Again."

"Ah. That." Edgeworth shrugged. "Mr. Law is not a particularly competent opponent. I'm afraid that I am getting bored of facing him. Perhaps I have been overly spoiled by more capable opponents in the past. Of course, as long as justice is served, I am satisfied. Still…"

_Classy, _thought Phoenix. _You just beat the guy. Can't you give him a break? Uh, wait, hang on, did Edgeworth just give me a compliment? That…was a compliment, right? _

"Thanks, I think," he began. "But-!"

Suddenly, there was a sort of creaking sound behind Phoenix, and he turned around to see the courtroom doors rapidly closing. Before he'd had a chance to even realize what was going on, the doors had shut with a thud, and something had clicked loudly on the other side.

"What?" Edgeworth stared at the doors. "What's going on?"

Phoenix had a very, very bad feeling about this. Hurrying over to the doors, he tried pulling them open, but found that they wouldn't give.

"We're locked in," he informed Edgeworth.

Edgeworth's mouth fell open in surprise. "W-we're what? How can that be? The bailiff is aware that I haven't left yet. It is impossible that he would lock the courtroom before checking to be sure that it was vacant."

_Yeah, _agreed Phoenix, _I'm sure you're right. Somehow, I don't think the bailiff had anything to do with this…_

"Athena!" Phoenix shook the doors and tried to make as much noise as he could. "Athena, can you hear me?"

For a moment, there was silence on the other side of the doors.

"Damn," muttered Phoenix. "She must be too far away."

"Mr. Wright?" Apollo suddenly spoke up from the other side of the door.

"Oh, thank goodness," sighed Phoenix, infinitely relieved. "Apollo, something's gone wrong and Edgeworth and I are locked in here. I'm sorry, but please go find the bailiff so that he can get us out."

Again there was a long, uncomfortable pause before Apollo spoke.

"I just want you to know," he said eventually, "that this wasn't my idea, boss."

Phoenix blinked. "What?"

There were footsteps on the other side of the door, and then Athena spoke up.

"Mr. Wright," she called, "you're such a wonderful person. I know how much you care about Apollo and about all of us, and we want you to know that we care about you, too!"

Phoenix swallowed hard. _Oh no, _he thought. _Please tell me this isn't what I think it is. _"Athena," he asked aloud, as calmly as he could. "Why am I locked in here?"

"Remember what happened to Apollo," insisted Athena. "If you wait too long, you'll lose your chance to be happy! Don't let him get away, Mr. Wright! You deserve to be happy, too! We love you so much!"

"H-hey," said Apollo. "Love is kind of a strong word…"

Sweat had now begun to roll down Phoenix's forehead. _No way. This isn't happening. It's not happening! _"Apollo," he shouted, "get me out of here! This is insane!"

"I would," replied Apollo, "but Athena won't let me! I mean…she's right, you know, sort of. You can't keep this up forever. Be a man. Face him head-on."

"What? No! Are you serious? Let us out of here!" Desperately, Phoenix rattled on the doors again, but of course they didn't budge. "How did you even get the key? Come on, I'm your boss. You can't treat me like this. It's completely unprofessional. Hey, weren't we supposed to go and get noodles? You were looking forward to those noodles, right?"

This time, no one said a word. Phoenix could hear footsteps on the other side of the door, retreating in entirely the wrong direction. Trying not to panic, he took a deep breath, turned slowly around, and found Edgeworth standing just behind him, watching him with a look of complete disgust on his face.

"This," announced Edgeworth, "is your fault."

"What?" Phoenix shook his head and held up both hands in protest. "No it isn't! How is this my fault? This wouldn't be happening if you'd just agreed to go out with me when I asked you. Now the whole office is trying to play matchmaker. Gah!"

Edgeworth wagged an admonitory finger. "This situation," he insisted, "would never have arisen if you had not allowed your emotions to overcome your better judgment. If you had been more careful and had contained your embarrassing outpouring of sympathy or my pitiable condition, your subordinates would never have become aware of the situation in the first place!"

Phoenix just shook his head again, turned away from the doors, and wandered over to sit on the floor by the defense's bench, running both hands nervously through his hair as he tried to figure out what to do next.

"Well?" Edgeworth selected a seat as far away from his as he could, beside the prosecution's bench. "Don't you have anything to say, Wright?"

_Yeah, _realized Phoenix. _Yeah, I do have something to say, actually. _

"Edgeworth," he said. "It wasn't pity. I didn't ask you out because I felt badly for you, or because I felt guilty."

"What?" Edgeworth stood up. "You still deny it?"

"Yeah." Phoenix snorted a mirthless little laugh. "Not guilty, your honor."

"A good man and a good lawyer knows how to admit when he is in the wrong," retorted Edgeworth. "Not, of course, that you have ever been particularly skilled at backing down from a fight. You would continue to play upon my emotions like this because you are unable to suffer the embarrassment of admitting your own error of judgment? I had expected fairer treatment from you, Wright. I am disappointed."

"No," insisted Phoenix, "I'm the one who's disappointed. Edgeworth, after all these years, I thought you'd know me well enough to understand that I'm not the kind of guy to mess around with someone else's feelings."

Edgeworth just shook his head "Perhaps we do not know each other as well as we believed."

For a few moments there was silence in the courtroom.

_No, _thought Phoenix, _that isn't right. Sure, this is a situation that I never expected to be in with Miles Edgeworth, of all people, and any kind of emotional conflict does tend to bring out the worst in someone, but…no, I know him, maybe even better than he realizes I do. _

"Look at this," suggested Phoenix, getting to his feet and reaching into his pocket for a bunch of photographs. He laid them out on the defense's bench, and Edgeworth leaned over to look.

"What," asked Edgeworth, "is that?"

Phoenix shrugged. "I guess you wouldn't recognize them, because you didn't show up to Pearl's party. These are a few of the photographs that Maya put up on the wall, as a part of her 'photo display' of Pearl and her friends. Actually, these photos are of us. Look, here we are having a nice picnic with Pearl out by the lake, and here's us at Pearl's elementary school graduation. Here we are with her and Trucy at the Gavinner's anniversary comeback concert, and here's the three of us eating noodles at Eldoon's. There are more pictures, of course. I only asked for a few of them. Maya said she had copies of them all, so that I could take whatever I wanted. I thought they'd look good on the office wall."

Edgeworth spent a second examining the photos. "I don't understand," he muttered. "Why are you showing me this? What is it supposed to prove?"

Phoenix pointed an accusatory finger directly at Edgeworth's chest. "What does it prove? It directly disproves your theory that you and I don't know each other as well as we thought we did. We've known each other for years. We've been through everything together for as long as I can remember, and I've got the evidence to corroborate it. I know you well enough not to waste my time offering you pity dates," he said, advancing on Edgeworth as he drove his point home. "That kind of thing would be meaningless to you. It'd only make you angry, obviously. You know me well enough to understand that I don't say anything I don't' mean."

Edgeworth frowned. "Wright, you very frequently say things that you don't mean. You have a reputation in court for being so skilled at bluffing and at fabricating last minute certainties that no one is ever entirely sure what is going to come out of your mouth next. You are never completely serious."

Phoenix frowned. "Well, uh…okay, that's a good point," he admitted. "I can't…actually deny that. I mean, I do have a gift for the bluff, sure, but…"

Edgeworth snorted triumphantly, and turned away.

_Hey, come on, don't give me that! _Frustrated, Phoenix closed the distance between him and Edgeworth, and grabbed Edgeworth by both shoulders, forcing Edgeworth around to face him again. "Look," he insisted, "I get what you're saying, but trust me when I say that I'm being serious, now."

Edgeworth just looked startled, and Phoenix suddenly realized that they were very, very close. _Uh, wow, this isn't really like me, huh? I'm not…usually the physically aggressive type. Guess he really pissed me off. Maybe he's right. Maybe I should take a deep breath and calm down a little bit after all…_

Still, for whatever reason, he didn't take his hands off of Edgeworth, and Edgeworth didn't shake him off or push him away.

They stood there, suspended strangely mid-argument, until suddenly something subtle in the atmosphere shifted. Phoenix was never sure exactly who acted first, but Edgeworth's mouth was on his, and either Edgeworth was kissing him or he was kissing Edgeworth intensely, almost aggressively, their hands gripping hard at each other, their lips parted and their tongues exploring each other's mouths. Edgeworth pulled him abruptly closer, and Phoenix thought he felt something fall out of his back pocket, although he didn't waste time paying it much attention. He closed his eyes as a little shudder of excitement tore through him.

Eventually, Edgeworth pulled away, backed up against the bench and gave Phoenix a very stunned sort of look. Phoenix took a moment to try and collect himself, but it didn't seem to be working. His head was spinning, his mind was racing, and his whole body felt like it was burning up.

"U-uh,' he managed helplessly.

Edgeworth cleared his throat, his face deeply red. "Th-the prosecution," he said breathlessly, "has…no further objections."

_Oh, _thought Phoenix, dazed. _Well that's…good, I think. _

He was sure that there was something he was supposed to say at this moment, but his brain was a mess, and no matter how many times he opened his mouth, nothing seemed to be ready to come out of it. Edgeworth was still just staring, although now his face seemed to be slowly returning to its natural color. Phoenix hoped that his was starting to do the same.

"Wright," began Edgeworth quietly. "I-!"

At that very moment, the courtroom doors began to creak open. Phoenix and Edgeworth jumped back as far away from each other as they possibly could as the bailiff rushed into the room, looking horrified.

"Mr. Wright! Mr. Edgeworth! I am…I'm so sorry," he exclaimed. "I have no idea how this happened. This is…absolutely unacceptable! How long have you been trapped in here? I came as soon as that nice young red-headed lady told me, but the trial's been over for almost an hour! I can't believe this. Please, please, accept my humblest apologies, sirs…"

_The 'nice young red-headed lady,' huh? _Phoenix smiled ruefully.

"H-heh." Even Edgeworth managed a chuckle.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sheesh, that was hard to write. I hope it wasn't too much of a disappointment. I completely failed to update yesterday, and for that I apologize. I got home far too late, and was too tierd to write anything, no matter how hard I tried. I guess that means you win, **Ersatz Writer. **And yet, I was so close! Ach, the bitterness of disappointment…


	10. At Last, My Turnabout - Nine

**Chapter Nine: I Do Cherish You - Part One**

**October 25, 2028**

**7:00 PM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

At around 7:00 that night, there was sharp knock on Phoenix's apartment door. When he opened it, he found Maya and Pearl waiting outside.

"Good evening, Mr. Nick," said Pearl, smiling politely.

"Nick!" Maya looked annoyed. "I've been trying to call you all day! I wanted to tell you that we were gonna be a little late, but you never picked up!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Phoenix sighed. "I still can't figure out where I left my cell phone. I haven't seen it in three days, and I've retraced my steps more times than I can count. I even reported it to the police, but it hasn't turned up yet. Maybe I should just go and buy a new one…"

"Oh. Well, that's okay, then." Maya deflated a little. "I guess if you can't find your cell phone, then it's nto your fault But, yeah, you really should go get a new one. I mean, you're a very important person. I bet lots of people have been trying to call you!"

Phoenix winced. _Maybe, _he thought, thinking about Edgeworth, and about that unexpectedly exciting kiss in the locked courtroom. _Ugh, what an awful time to be out of touch. I can't call, and every time I go to his office, he's out. Still, maybe that's for the best. I mean…if I did find him in his office or even get him on the phone, what would I say? I have no idea!_

"Nick?" Maya was frowning. "You look tired."

"Yeah," he muttered. "Well, actually, Maya, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about. Um, later, if that's okay with you."

Maya nodded. "Sure! No problem! Feel free to tell me all your little troubles, Nick. You know I'm always here for you!"

_Right. _Phoenix smiled ruefully. _You mean you're always here to make fun of me and to offer inappropriate suggestions, right? That's how it usually goes, anyway._

"Maya! Pearl!" Trucy came out of the kitchen holding a large piece of colorful, slightly melted birthday cake on a plate. "You're here!" Thrusting the cake plate unceremoniously into Phoenix's hands, she rushed over and gave first Maya and then Pearl enthusiastic hugs.

Maya grinned at her. "Of course we're here! Happy birthday, Trucy!"

"Happy birthday!" Pearl beamed. "Was it a very wonderful day?"

Phoenix laid the cake plate down on the counter. "Uh, well, honestly I wanted to throw a big party, but everyone's either busy with work or out of town. Trucy and I did bake some cake, but I guess that's not much of a celebration."

Trucy shrugged. "It's delicious," she said. "And it was a lot of fun!"

"Ooh! You made this?" Pearl looked surprised. "Mr. Nick, I didn't know that you could cook!"

Maya eyed the cake plate warily. "Yeah…neither did I."

Trucy laughed. "He can't, so I did most of it," she assured them. "Daddy just helped with the icing. Oh, and he brought me some ingredients when I asked for them. He makes a great lovely assistant! I just wish he'd let me use him as my assistant in the show!"

"Never," insisted Phoenix, shaking his head firmly. "Not a chance. I don't do stages."

Trucy wagged a finger at him. "You do courtrooms," she reminded him. "That's a lot like being on stage."

"No…no, it's not like that at all." Phoenix shrugged. "You do your thing, Trucy, and I'll do mine. Anyway…who wants some cake?"

He ushered the other three back into the kitchen, where Trucy helped Maya and Pearl each to their own piece of cake. Pearl ate hers delicately, like a bird, but Maya dug right in, making surprised and enthusiastic mumbling noises as she apparently enjoyed Trucy's culinary creation.

"Our birthdays are so close together," remarked Pearl. "Trucy, maybe next year we should have a joint birthday party. I think that would be a lot of fun."

"Oh, definitely," agreed Trucy. "Actually, we have a lot of the same friends, so it sort makes sense. Instead of presents, we could ask people to donate to the Wright Anything Agency, or to the Kurain Village Beautification Fund…or maybe to both! Um, we could let them pick which one they like best, but I don't really need more stuff. This apartment is cluttered up enough as it is!"

Pearl nodded. "Yes, I agree. People were so nice...I received too many presents for my birthday, and I'm not actually sure what some of them are. There's this one complicated-looking thing with a lot of buttons and numbers all over it, but even after I put the batteries in it doesn't seem to do anything. It's all a bit much, really…"

Maya and Phoenix exchanged a significant look. "Speaking of presents, Trucy," began Maya, setting down her empty plate, "Pearl and I have something for you. Well, actually it was Nick's idea, so I guess you can think of it as a sort of joint present from all of us."

"Huh? For me? That's so nice!" Trucy grinned. "You didn't have to!"

_I'm still not sure that it's actually a good idea, _thought Phoenix. _Still now that Maya and Pearl are involved, it's probably too late to back out._

Pearl took Trucy by the hand and led her into the living room, where she settled down in a cross-legged position on the floor.

"Here," she suggested, nodding at Trucy. "Sit with me, Trucy."

Mystified, Trucy dutifully sat down. Pearl turned and looked expectantly at Phoenix, who cleared his throat.

"Trucy," he announced, "you know that I've done my best to be a good Daddy, and that I try not to refuse you any reasonable requests, right?"

Trucy nodded. "You've been a great Daddy," she assured him.

"But," continued Phoenix, "a few years ago you asked me for something that I couldn't give you. Well, no, I could have, but I said no, because I didn't think you were ready to face the implications and the complications that would come along with it. You begged me, but I still refused, and eventually you ran out of the room in tears. I remember, because it's one of the only times that I think I've ever made you cry since you came to live with me." _I'll remember that day for the rest of my life, _thought Phoenix. _It was horrible. I felt like such a monster. Parenting…I wonder if I'll ever get the hang of it? _

Trucy was now watching him warily, with her mouth slightly open in surprise.

"Anyway," Phoenix went on, "today you're seventeen years old, and I think that it's time. I'm not sure that I'm right, and we might both end up regretting this, but you'll be an adult pretty soon, and I think maybe it's time I started trusting your judgment a bit more. If you still want to do it then I'm not exactly thrilled, but I'm willing to give it a try."

"D-Daddy…" Trucy looked uncertain. "Um…are you talking about what I think you're talking about?"

Pearl nodded and scooted a little closer to Trucy on the carpet. "Come on Trucy," she said, smiling encouragingly. "I bet your father can't wait to wish you a happy birthday."

Trucy glanced up at Phoenix, who did his best to smile. "Your real father," he clarified. "Zak Gramarye. Pearl's ready to channel him for us, if you're sure that's what you really want."

For a moment, Trucy just stared at Phoenix and then at Pearl, like she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing.

"Well, Trucy?" Phoenix frowned. "What's it going to be? You don't have to if you don't want to, of course. I only thought that-!"

"No, no, I do want to! I'm sure!" Trucy was emphatic.

"Ah," sighed Phoenix, trying not to let himself be too disappointed. "I see."

"I haven't seen my other Daddy in a really, really long time," exclaimed Trucy. "I...I wonder if he'll even know it's me. Maybe he won't recognize me anymore."

"Of course he will," insisted Pearl. "You're his daughter. He probably misses you very much. Right, Mr. Nick?"

Nick found that he was having a little more trouble with this than he'd expected. The smile on his face felt strange and stiff, and he was all too aware that Trucy could tell how uncomfortable he was.

"Sure he does," managed Phoenix. "Any father would. I…I'll just step outside for a few minutes and let you ladies have some time to yourselves. Happy birthday, Trucy."

"Um…thank you," whispered Trucy. She looked like she wanted to say more, but Pearl had already closed her eyes and had settled herself to begin the channeling. Phoenix turned on his heel and headed for the door.

"Wait," called Maya. "Nick, I'll go with you!"

Phoenix left the apartment, and wandered out into the fifth floor hallway. Someone had left an old plastic chair outside, presumably to be picked up by maintenance, and he sat down in it, frustrated with himself for getting so emotional.

Nick, waaaait!" Maya hurried over to him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he mumbled. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just…" He gestured helplessly with one hand. "Maybe I was hoping she was going to say no. Part of me was half-expecting Trucy to say that she didn't want to do the channeling after all. I mean…"

He shook his head, but Maya just frowned. "What do you mean?"

Somewhere farther down the hallway, the elevator dinged.

"Look, forget it,' he sighed. "It doesn't matter. It's just that, after nine years, I thought that…well, that maybe I was her real Daddy, now. I hoped maybe I was enough. I don't want to have to compete for my daughter's attention with a dead man." He laughed unhappily . "See? It's stupid. It's just-!"

"Not stupid," announced a familiar voice. "Simply irrational. Your daughter misses her father. That's only natural and human. Her feelings for her first father bear no reflection whatsoever to her affection for you. Of course you already know that rationally, even if you are struggling with it emotionally. Your reaction is perfectly understandable."

"Yeah," sighed Phoenix. "Well, I guess that's true. You're right, I-!" Then he stopped, startled. "Wait, what?"

"Oh, Mr. Edgeworth!" Maya was delighted. "Where did you come from all of a sudden?"

Phoenix looked up to find Edgeworth standing a few feet in front of him. He wasn't smiling, but then again, he never was.

_Oh, crap! _Phoenix felt suddenly and exponentially more irrational than he had moments before. His heart started racing, and he was somehow confused, excited, thrilled and horrified at the same time. He found himself replaying his last encounter with Edgeworth vividly in the back of his mind, and as he looked at Edgeworth he could almost feel the ecstatic pressure of their lips meeting and of their bodies pushing against each other as they struggled to get even closer.

"E-Edgeworth!"Phoenix jumped to his feet.

Edgeworth inclined his head politely. "Wright."

"Nick," gasped Maya, "you're blushing!"

Frantically, Phoenix shook his head. "No, I'm not! You're imagining things!" _Ack, _he thought, _I'm the one imagining things…I can't stop thinking about him. I haven't stopped thinking about him for days, but…ugh, he probably thinks I'm some kind of jerk. Only jerks wait three days before calling, right? But, honestly, it's not my fault! Not guilty!_

"Look, um, Edgeworth," he began, holding up both hands in a gesture of self defense. "I know how bad this looks, but you have to believe me when I say that I genuinely have no idea where my cell phone is. It sounds like an excuse, but it's not. I can't find it anywhere. I came by your office a couple of times yesterday, but you were out, so..."

Phoenix stopped, because Edgeworth was nodding. "Ah, well, that explains it, then. You see, I also stepped out of the office more than once yesterday, in an attempt to deliver this to your agency. It seems that we must have just missed each other."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a very familiar-looking cell phone.

_Huh? But, how...? _"Edgeworth," demanded Phoenix. "Why do you have my cell phone?"

"The bailiff returned it to me two days ago," Edgeworth informed him. "Apparently it had been found on the floor of courtroom 2. I had hoped to return it to you as soon as possible. Unfortunately that proved more difficult than I expected."

Phoenix vaguely remembered something falling out of his back pocket that afternoon in courtroom 2. Aware that Maya was now watching him curiously, he cleared his throat, smiled, and held out his hand for the phone, hoping that he looked a lot more relaxed than he felt.

"Oh, uh, thanks," he said. "Man, am I glad to get that back."

"Mr. Edgeworth," asked Maya, "did you come all the way here just to give Nick his phone back? That's super nice of you!"

Edgeworth just shook his head. "As a matter of fact," he said, "I have another errand, as well. Wright, I'm sorry to say that I won't be able to take you up on your offer."

"Offer?" Phoenix blinked.

"Upon sober reflection," continued Edgeworth, "I've decided that I won't be allowing you to take me to dinner as you requested."

Maya sighed. "Aw, man...not this again."

_What? Why not? _Phoenix protested. "H-hey, hold it! But, uh, I thought you said...? I mean, after uh, the other day in courtroom 2, I sort of got the impression that you were interested. Oh, w-wait, when I say 'interested,' what I really mean is-!"_  
_

Edgeworth wagged a finger at Phoenix. "I never said that I wasn't interested anymore. I've simply decided that I will be the one to treat you to dinner. I'm prepared to do so this evening, if you're available."

_Oh, that's all? Jeez, way to jerk a guy around. _Phoenix took a deep breath, infinitely relieved. "Objection," he announced, pointing accusingly at Edgeworth. "That's not fair, Edgeworth. I asked you first."

Maya sighed dreamily. "Objection overruled. I think it's cute, the two of you fighting over who gets to be nicer to the other. Wow, look how far we've come in eleven years! Nobody'd believe that you two used to be each other's worst enemies!"

"Ahem..." Edgeworth coughed. "Enemy is a very strong word."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "I prefer 'rival."

"Yes." Edgeworth nodded. "Exactly. "That does seem significantly more accurate."

Maya just grinned. "See? It's just like I said. You're getting along so well!"

Phoenix glanced over at Edgeworth, and as soon as he caught Edgeworth's eye, Edgeworth paled a little bit, coughed, and dropped his gaze away.

_Oh, _thought Phoenix. _So he's not as calm and collected as he's pretending to be, after all. Well, good. I was starting to think that maybe I was the only one._

"Wright," Edgeworth remarked. "You haven't yet said whether or not you'll be joining me for dinner this evening."

Phoenix frowned. _Right. Um...gah. _

"I'd like to," he assured Edgeworth. "I'd really like to, honestly, but...today is Trucy's birthday, and I'm not sure I feel comfortable just leaving."

Edgeworth looked surprised. "Oh, I see. I wasn't aware. Or, no, I guess I'd just forgotten. Of course, that...does change things." For a split second he looked so honestly disappointed that Phoenix had to stop himself from smiling. _Yeah, _he decided. _I'm definitely not the only one. That's something at least._

"Nick," Maya reminded him, "Trucy has a show tonight, remember? She's leaving for the Wonder Bar at ten o'clock, so it's not like she'll be able to spend much time with you. You and Mr. Edgeworth might as well just go."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix, "but I was thinking I'd go see her show tonight. You know, because it's her birthday, and I'm her father, and..." He trailed off, sighed, and added, "sometimes spirit channeling can have a strong effect on a person. She might be sad. She might be...confused. Anyway, I shouldn't leave her alone, tonight."_  
_

Maya opened her mouth to protest, but Edgeworth quickly cut her off.

"I agree," he announced, nodding. "That's very wise. When you put it that way, it does seem like you should be at the show tonight."

_Right. _Phoenix sighed inwardly. _Of course, I'm right. Sorry, Edgeworth. _

"Of course," added Edgeworth without skipping a beat, "if we leave now and move efficiently, we will almost certainly be able to eat dinner and proceed to the Wonder Bar before the show starts."

Phoenix blinked. "Huh? We?"

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth. "We'll go to the show together, of course. "He paused, frowned, and looked uncertain for a moment. "That is...if you don't mind my company, Wright. After all, it is Trucy's birthday, and it has been some time since I've seen her perform. I'm...looking forward to it."

Something around the corner of Edgeworth's mouth twitched, and Phoenix found himself grinning. _You liar, _he thought. _You hate magic shows, and card tricks, and all kinds of illusions. _

"Thanks," he said aloud. "I'm sure Trucy will be thrilled. She's been asking about her 'Uncle Edgeworth' for weeks, actually."

This time, Edgeworth flinched noticeably. Phoenix had to hide a laugh with his hand.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **This chapter also ended up being a very long one, so again I've broken it into parts. I hope you enjoy part one, and I'll try posting part two as soon as is is humanly possible. I've already failed my "one chapter update per day" challenge, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't continue to strive.


	11. At Last, My Turnabout - Ten

**Chapter Ten: I Do Cherish You – Part Two**

**October 25, 2028**

**7:45 PM**

**Apartment Building Lobby**

Aware that they were on a tight schedule, Phoenix didn't waste a lot of time. He ran back into the apartment to grab a few things and to brush the little bits of frosting out of his teeth before hurrying into the elevator and heading back down to the ground floor.

Edgeworth was already there, standing by the door and impatiently examining his watch. For a second he didn't notice Phoenix, and Phoenix took a moment to really look at Edgeworth for possibly the very first time.

_You know, _he thought before he'd had a chance to check himself, _Those old women at the courthouse weren't totally wrong. He's an attractive guy, with a striking profile. Sort of…noble, now that I think about it. Actually, why is it that everyone gets so excited about Prosecutor Gavin? Sure, he's good looking, I guess, but only because he's also wearing those flashy jackets and bleaching his hair, and acting like a rock-star. He's a crowd pleasure yeah, but of the two of them, Edgeworth has all the real magnetism. Those old women could see it. I can…I can see it. Uh. Damn, maybe I should have done something about my hair. How is my hair? I didn't even look…_

"Wright." Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "You're staring at me. What?"

Phoenix blinked." Ack! What? No, I'm not! Sorry, I was just uh, zoning out."

Edgeworth just nodded. "Worrying about Trucy, no doubt."

Phoenix grinned awkwardly. _Yeah, well, sure, that's what I SHOULD have been worrying about, but…you know, speaking of hair, yours isn't bad. It's kind of…well, I always wanted to call it grey, but is it actually silver? The whole glasses thing is a good look for you, too. When did you start wearing those? Have you always been wearing those, and I just didn't notice? Well, trust me, I'm noticing now._

"Let's be off," suggested Edgeworth. "I know that you're anxious to return to your daughter, so let's not waste any more time."

He led Phoenix out into the parking lot and through the rows of parked cars until they came to a little, bright-blue car about the size of one of those Bug or Beetle cars.

"Here," announced Edgeworth.

Phoenix did a double-take. "Wait, this is yours? Uh…what happened to your old sedan?"

Edgeworth shrugged. "I traded it in. It was an excellent deal. This car is in very good condition, and the price was extremely reasonable."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix, _but it's…I mean, it's adorable. It's a really cute car. What about your 'big bad Chief Prosecutor' image? I guess you aren't as worried about that as I thought. _

Unexpectedly, Edgeworth unlocked the door and then pulled the passenger side door open, stepping back to give Phoenix some room. It took Phoenix a moment to realize that Edgeworth was holding the door open for him.

"Huh? Oh, um…thanks."His face felt a little warmer as he folded himself into the seat. "Wow, Edgeworth. Who would have thought you could be such a gentleman?"

Edgeworth's eyes widened for a moment, and then he coughed and looked away. "There are perhaps many things you still don't know about me, Wright. As I am escorting you out, I plan to treat you with a certain degree of respectful attention. That...is how this is supposed to work, isn't it?"

"You don't have to do that for me," Phoenix assured him. "I, uh…I mean, I don't need anything fancy."

Edgeworth shut the door, crossed to the driver's side, and climbed in. Phoenix noticed that Edgeworth, too, had just a little trouble fitting his long legs into the car.

"On the contrary," murmured Edgeworth as he fastened his seatbelt and turned the key. "For you, I shall take extra care. Seatbelt on, please."

They drove out of the parking lot and into the street in excited but slightly awkward silence. Phoenix spent a few minutes trying to think of something to say, but found that he couldn't get hold of a good conversation starter. Edgeworth kept his eyes fastened on the road, almost as though he was completely oblivious of Phoenix's presence in the passenger seat.

"Uh," began Phoenix eventually, "so, Edgeworth. Where are we going?"

Edgeworth didn't bat an eyelash. "That depends. Where would you like to go?"

_Not sure, _thought Phoenix. _Somehow, I feel like it would be really weird if we went to any of our usual places. We've been eating together after courtroom victories for so many years that it wouldn't really feel like a date. Should it feel like a date? No, maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way. Maybe I should try to be more casual about this. Would that help? Agh, this is so awkward! _

"A-anywhere's fine," managed Phoenix.

Edgeworth frowned thoughtfully. "I do have a place in mind," he said, "but I worry that you'll be disappointed. It's not exactly what you'd typically refer to as 'fancy,' and may be inappropriate for the occasion."

Phoenix shook his head hurriedly. "Hey, that doesn't matter. I'm not even dressed up."

"You're wearing a suit," Edgeworth reminded him.

"I always wear this," retorted Phoenix. "Anyway, you're just as dressed up as I am, in that case. I eat noodles in the park in this suit all the time. It's fine."

"Well…if you're sure, then." Edgeworth pulled the car up at a red light, and then glanced briefly and nervously over at Phoenix. "You must promise me, however, that you will not laugh, no matter how strong the temptation may be. Do you understand?"

_Yeah, but now I'm really curious where we're going, _thought Phoenix. _Why would I laugh? It can't be any worse then Eldoon's right? _

They drove along for another several minutes in silence until the blue/green expanse of Gourd Lake swam into view.

"Wow," remarked Phoenix. "Gourd Lake, huh? This sure brings back some memories."

For some reason, Edgeworth looked pleased. "Ah," he said simply. "Good."

He parked the car, climbed out, and then strode around to the other side to open the door for Phoenix, again. As Phoenix stepped out of the car, he had trouble uncramping himself from the folded position he'd had to adopt to fit into the seat. Edgeworth held out a helping hand, and when Phoenix reached for it he realized he was suddenly smiling like an idiot. The contact only lasted a moment until Phoenix was free of the seat, but the tingle of Edgeworth's hesitant fingers lingered in Phoenix's hand as they crossed together towards the gates.

It was a nice evening, and several people were out strolling along the public beach or chatting by the water. Edgeworth, however, continued to say nothing, and Phoenix felt the silence stretching out between them and getting more uncomfortable by the second.

"I haven't been here in ages," he heard himself say, mostly just to fill the conversational void. "Actually, I don't think I've spent any real time here since that case eleven years ago. Wow…when you think about it, it does seem like kind of a long time."

Edgeworth nodded. Yes. A lot has happened since then."

A small and very noisy child floated by on a little floating tube that was designed to look like a sea monster.

"Oh look," announced Phoenix. "I found Gourdy, after all these years."

He grinned, and Edgeworth almost smiled.

Phoenix was trying not to let himself get frustrated. _This is going nowhere. This can't be a date if he won't even talk to me! I get that it's weird, and that's he's sort of freaked out, and honestly so am I, but a little effort wouldn't kill him. Looks like it's all up to me again…_

"You're awfully quiet," Phoenix remarked.

Edgeworth shrugged. "I have nothing to say."

"Yeah, well, let's find something to talk bout." Phoenix mused about that for a moment. "We could play twenty questions."

"No," returned Edgeworth.

"No? That's all I get?" Phoenix sighed. "Okay, how about 'I Spy?'"

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "Are you five years old?"

"Are you going to talk to me?" Phoenix sighed. "You don't usually have trouble talking to me."

Edgeworth shrugged. "I am not a typically talkative person. You don't usually mind the silence. Maybe you're nervous."

"And you're not?" Phoenix sighed. "Look, this might not have been such a good idea after all. Why don't we just…? Wait, what's that?"

They were now heading towards the docks, or at least, towards the place where the boat rental docks had once been. Phoenix saw immediately that things were now very different from the way they'd been all those years ago. The once dark and shadowy boat docks were now brightly lit with lamps and lanterns, and the sign above the boat rental shop read "The Wet Noodle – Criminally Good Pasta Since 2019."

"No way," muttered Phoenix, staring. "That…what the heck is that doing there?"

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "Remember, Wright," he admonished, "you made me a promise. You said you would not laugh."

"I'm not laughing," Phoenix assured him. "Not even a little bit. Edgeworth, what are we doing here?"

"Ah, well," began Edgeworth, still not looking directly at Phoenix. "Apparently the murder of Robert Hammond and the subsequent arrest of both Yanni Yogi and Prosecutor von Karma eleven years ago stirred up a great deal of interest among the public. Gourd Lake became a very popular tourist spot, if only because of its connection to two high-profile murder cases. In hopes of capitalizing on this newfound criminal connection, the management team at Gourd Lake decided to construct and begin running "The Wet Noodle,' which as you well know was the name of the fictional pasta shop which Yanni Yogi claimed to have once been the proprietor of, during his impressive pretense of feeble-minded imbecility. It seems to have been a very lucrative venture after all. As I understand it, the restaurant is quite popular."

_Well, yeah, _thought Phoenix, _I guess it would be. Murder really draws a crowd. He still hasn't answered my question, though. Why are we here? You'd think Edgeworth would hate a place like this. It'd bring back…all sorts of negative memories for him, wouldn't it? After all, he was the defendant in that case. I'm sure it was a very painful experience. Heck, it was even painful for me._

"Edgeworth," he began.

Edgeworth shot him an uncertain look. "I…thought this might be something you would like," he mumbled. "Ah, you see, you've been…very nostalgic, lately. You showed me those photographs, and you've been speaking quite a bit about how we have known each other for a long time, and about how we have something of a history together. As you seemed inclined to reminisce, I thought you might enjoy a, uh, visit a place which holds some significance for us. After all, in a certain light this case was what rekindled our friendship after a number of years apart. It seemed…appropriate, somehow."

Phoenix was floored. _That's why we're here? But that case was such a nightmare, you'd think he'd hate this place. Of all the things that he could remember about Gourd Lake, what stands out for him is that he sort of re-met me, here? That's, uh…I'm not sure what to say. Who would have thought that Miles Edgeworth was such a romantic? _

"And," added Edgeworth hastily, "I know that you enjoy noodles. I'm sure of that. Pasta is definitely a thing you enjoy. That's…that's right, isn't it?"

"Y-yeah," said Phoenix, still staring at The Wet Noodle." That's true, I'm a noodle guy, sure."

Edgeworth was silent for a moment. "I see that this wasn't a good idea," he muttered finally, sounding frustrated and a bit embarrassed. "I'm…terribly sorry, Wright. Unfortunately, I do not have a great deal of experience in these matters, and I may have judged the situation poorly."

_What? No, no it's fine. _Phoenix shook his head. "Why do you say that? You're right, I like noodles. There's nothing wrong with this place. I was just…uh, a little surprised, that's all. It's kinda unexpected, you have to admit. Not bad, just…unexpected."

"You are clearly uncomfortable," returned Edgeworth stiffly, looking miserable. "I feel…extremely foolish. Of course I'll take you back to the apartment immediately. Your daughter, no doubt, is waiting for you."

He turned away, obviously prepared to start back towards the parking lot.

Phoenix sighed. _Oh no you don't, _he thought. _You're not backing out now, Edgeworth; not after we managed to get this far. If you think I'm going through all of that again just to get you to agree to go out with me…_

"Hey," he said, stepping forward and boldly grabbing Edgeworth by the hand. Edgeworth froze instantly at the contact, and Phoenix twined his fingers through Edgeworth's so that their hands were interlocked.

"Wright," mumbled Edgeworth confusedly. "Please, let go."

"Nope." Phoenix just shook his head. "Come on, we're going in. You want to reminisce? I think it's a great idea. Let's reminisce. Plus, I'm hungry."

With that he turned around and strode back towards the restaurant, still holding on firmly to Edgeworth's hand.

There were only a few people actually inside the restaurant, and it didn't take the server long to find Phoenix and Edgeworth a seat by the window, overlooking the water. Before Phoenix had a chance to sit down, Edgeworth had stepped around and pulled his chair out for him.

"We'll have a bottle of California Cabernet Sauvignon," he instructed the server, who nodded, smiled a utilitarian little wait-staff smile and turned towards the kitchen.

Phoenix took a quick look around. "So, uh…have you been here before?"

"Just once," replied Edgeworth. "It's not bad. The service is relatively quick, at least, and the food is more than edible."

_And coming from Edgeworth, _thought Phoenix, _that's really quite a recommendation. _

"The menu is admittedly limited," Edgeworth went on, "but I suppose that is to be expected from something that began as a sordid tourist attraction. Please, don't be put off by the prices. The bill, of course, will be my problem. Order whatever you'd like.

_The prices? _Phoenix opened his men and ran his eye over the options. _How bad can it really be? Like Edgeworth said, this place isn't too fancy, so it can't be too…? Wait, WHAT? What the heck is THIS?_

"Twenty dollars for a plate of spaghetti?" Phoenix gaped. "That's…that's insane! No, it's criminal!"

Edgeworth waved that away with one hand. "As I said, don't let it worry you."

"But, your wallet," insisted Phoenix.

"I'm happy to pay," returned Edgeworth. "Please, close your mouth, stop looking scandalized, and take a moment to examine the menu. Don't forget that we have limited time."

Phoenix shut his mouth, but still wasn't so sure. "You're uh…awfully generous," he mumbled. "Thanks, I think."

Edgeworth didn't say anything for a moment. Then he shut his menu, looked up, and gave Phoenix the faintest of half-smiles.

"Not at all," he insisted, shaking his head. "It's, ah, just that I'd like you to enjoy yourself. You…might say that I've been looking forward to this for a very long time."

He reddened every-so-slightly and dropped his gaze back to his menu.

Phoenix's face felt a little warm. He glanced out of the window at the boats on the water, and reflected that maybe this hadn't been such a bad idea after all.

_Maybe it's time for both of us to make some new memories of this place, _he decided. _Maybe this is exactly the right place to start a new chapter. That's what we're doing, really, in more ways than one. Still…twenty dollars for a plate of spaghetti is daylight robbery, no matter how you look at it. Jeez…_

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **So…apparently this episode will actually be in three parts, not in two parts. Sorry about that. I keep writing, and this chapter just keeps getting longer and longer…but I think that the next one, "Part Three" really will be the last. I think. I'm making no promises.


	12. At Last, My Turnabout - Eleven

**Author's Note: **So, I have a confession to make. You know how I always say that I'm very equal opportunity when it comes to pairings? Well, I think I may have finally found what you whippersnapper's refer to as an "OTP." I haven't been this excited about a pairing since I used to write those awful Adachi x Minako stories that we try so hard not to talk about.

This is very exciting for me. Is Phoenix x Edgeworth the answer to my craving for the perfect pairing? Perhaps only time will tell.

And now, here's the final installment of this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: I Do Cherish You – Part Three**

**October 25, 2028**

**10:15 PM**

**Outside the Wonder Bar**

Phoenix and Edgeworth did end up arriving a few minutes late at the Wonder Bar. Trucy's act had already started, and they slipped as unobtrusively as they could into a couple of seats in the back row.

Phoenix was still a bit light-headed from all the wine he'd had at dinner, and as he sank into a chair he breathed out a long sigh of relief.

"Phew," he announced. "We made it! I was starting to get worried."

Edgeworth glared at him. "Lower your voice. We're in a theater."

"No," Phoenix informed him. "We are not in a theater, we're in a bar. Bars are loud."

"Your daughter," Edgeworth reminded him, "is currently on stage."

"Yeah!" Phoenix stood up and gave Trucy an enthusiastic little wave. Either she didn't see him, or she was too much of a professional to acknowledge him. "Isn't she great? Trucy! Trucy, Daddy's here!"

Edgeworth sighed. "Ah. You're drunk."

"Objection," announced Phoenix, shaking his head. "I am not drunk! I…may be just a little tipsy, though. Maybe. Anyway, the prosecution will withdraw it's outrageous and slanderous-!"

"Sit down and be quiet," snapped Edgeworth, giving Phoenix a disappointed look. "An entire bottle of wine was clearly a mistake on your part, or perhaps on mine."

Phoenix sat down, turned back towards the stage and ignored Edgeworth, focusing his attention on his beautiful and talented daughter.

She was in the middle of a complicated card trick, and as she flipped her hand over to make the card disappear, she smiled that same bright, carefree smile that had brightened his mornings every day for almost nine years. In his heightened, alcohol-induced emotional state, he realized that he was very, very proud of her, and found himself thinking of just how fond he was of her. _Life wouldn't have been worth much without Trucy, _he told himself tipsily. _She is my sunshine, my only sunshine…she makes me happy when skies are…wait, what's the word? _

"Wright," sighed Edgeworth. "You're humming."

"Huh?" Phoenix glanced over at Edgeworth.

"You're humming," he repeated wearily. "A children's song, I believe. Must I remind you that-!"

"Edgeworth," demanded Phoenix suddenly, "What do you think? Am I good Daddy?"

"Wh-what?" Edgeworth blinked. "Where on earth did that question come from?"

Phoenix just jabbed a finger at him. "That's not an answer. You have to answer the question. Do you think I've been a good Daddy to Trucy?" Frowning, he turned and watched as Trucy produced The Amazing Mr. Hat from some mysterious back pocket of her cloak, much to the amusement and delight of the audience. As applause rippled around them, Phoenix chewed thoughtfully on his lip.

"I try to be," he mumbled to himself, only vaguely aware that he was rambling aloud. "I've done my best. She's smart, and she's talented. Look how talented she is! Sometimes I wonder if maybe getting stuck with me wasn't so great for her. I mean…she could have been a famous magician, part of the world-famous 'Troupe Gramarye.' Wonder if maybe she'd have been happier like that. You think she's happy? I don't know. Hard to tell with Trucy. Hard to tell if I'm doing this right. This parenting thing…they say it's hard, and it's hard. I mean, it's really…it's complicated. You think Zak Gramarye would have been a better Daddy? Guess we'll never know…"

"Are you still worried about that?" Edgeworth frowned, and didn't say anything else for a long moment. "Well then, since you insist on an answer, no, Wright, I don't believe that Zak Gramarye would have been a better father to Trucy than you are. I believe you've done an excellent job. Admittedly discipline may not be your strongest suit, but you do have one quality which Zak Gramarye seems to have lacked."

"Really?" Phoenix was surprised. "What's that?"

"You give," replied Edgeworth simply. "You give of yourself, Wright. You've always been that way. While you may often blunder, or flounder, or even make an idiot of yourself, you never cease to give."

Phoenix nodded slowly, trying to make sense of that, but his head was still spinning fuzzily. "Th-thanks, but, uh…sorry, I don't get it."

Edgeworth settled back in his chair and folded his hands on his lap, keeping his eyes fixed on the stage as he spoke. "Correct me if I'm wrong,' he began, "but as I understand it, you became a defense attorney because of some childish desire to speak up for those who needed an ally. Your very first case involved a client who was either unwilling or unable to pay. You defended me, despite my efforts to tear down your dreams, and you have gone on to defend or come to the aid of numerous other clients who were equally ungrateful. Your work is thankless, yet you do not complain. You simply give, because it is in your nature to give."

On stage, Trucy produced a songbird from inside of her spare silk hat. The audience cheered.

"Many years ago," Edgeworth continued, "Trucy's father, Mr. Gramarye set Trucy up to aid him in his final disappearing act. He gave her the tools to help him vanish forever from the court and from both of our lives in order to avoid his sentencing. He left her without a second look. I understand that the circumstances were remarkable, but that doesn't change the fact that Mr. Gramarye was a man who took from his daughter. You did the opposite. Even in your moment of desperation, and during the darkest time in your career, you rushed to the aid of a lonely and frightened little girl who had nothing to offer you but her own childish needs. As always, Wright, you thought of others before you thought of yourself. You strove to give. So in answer to your question, yes, I think you are an excellent father. A good father and a good man places his child before himself. In that respect, you haven't failed her." He paused, and then smiled a very small, almost sad smile. "My father," he finished, "was a good father. In many ways, there are moments when you remind me of him. He was also a giving man."

Phoenix cleared his throat, feeling suddenly embarrassed, flattered, and significantly more sober. "I wish I'd gotten a chance to meet your Dad," he said.

"I believe he would have liked you," agreed Edgeworth, nodding. "And you would have liked him. At least, I like to think that's the case."

The audience applauded yet another trick, and Phoenix turned his eyes back to the stage. Trucy was laughing, now. Phoenix had been listening to Edgeworth and had missed out on whatever the joke was, but he couldn't deny that in that moment she did, at least, look very happy.

"You have nothing to worry about,' murmured Edgeworth. "I imagine that Trucy is a very happy girl. She's well-loved, and that's more than most children can say. If I were her, I'd have few regrets."

"Yeah, but,still-!" protested Phoenix, but before he'd had a chance to even finish forming the thought, the bar's MC stepped forward and the audience began to cheer again.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced grandly, "Miss Trucy Wright, and the magnificent Hat Gramarye!"

Trucy bowed, and then she had Mr. Hat bow. The crowd went wild.

"Curious," murmured Edgeworth, "that she chooses to assign her father's famous stage name to her puppet while keeping your name for herself."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _Yeah, now that you mention it…_

"Daddy!" Trucy spotted Phoenix in the crowd, beamed, and began waving excitedly. "You came!" Abandoning her props in a heap on the floor, she rushed over to where Phoenix and Edgeworth were sitting. "I'm so glad! I didn't think you'd make it."

"Of course I came," said Phoenix, slightly relieved that she didn't seem to have noticed how late they were. "I said I'd be here, didn't I? After all, it's your birthday. What kind of father misses his daughter's first performance as a seventeen –year-old?"

"Not you," agreed Trucy. "Um, but…Daddy, you look a little, uh…different. There's something about your eyes. Have you been drinking?"

She raised an eyebrow at him, and Phoenix hastily looked away. His silence was apparently all the confirmation of guilt that Trucy needed, because she made a mocking little "tsk, tsk" sound in her throat, then laughed and turned to Edgeworth.

"It's okay," she assured Phoenix. "Uncle Edgeworth's taking care of you, isn't he? Thanks for coming, Uncle Edgeworth!"

"Not at all," murmured Edgeworth, nodding politely. "As always, Trucy, an excellent performance. Oh, and…happy birthday."

_He didn't even give her a hard time about calling him 'Uncle,' _thought Phoenix. _I guess he's being extra indulgent because it's her birthday. Trucy's a lucky girl._

It was only then that Phoenix noticed the slightly discolored streaks just under Trucy's eyes.

"Trucy," he demanded, shaking his head to try and clear out the remains of that dizzy, drunken feeling. "You've been crying."

"Oh, um…" Trucy frowned guiltily. "S-sorry, Daddy. I didn't have time to put any makeup on, tonight. The channeling went kind of late, and Pearl and I barely got here in time for the show."

_The channeling, huh? _Phoenix sighed. _I knew that was a bad idea. I should never have gone along with it. Maya's always telling me that spirit channeling can get complicated, and I know from experience that losing someone and then seeing them not-quite brought back to life can be…confusing. There are lots of feelings involved that a seventeen-year-old shouldn't have to deal with. She was probably really scared, and I then I left her alone with that and went out to dinner. Gah. What was I thinking? _

"Look," he began carefully. "Trucy, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-!"

"No! No, it's okay," insisted Trucy, smiling. "I'm all right, now. It was just…a lot, all at once, that's all. Thank you for trusting me and letting me do the channeling, Daddy. I'm proud that you thought I was ready. I love you so much."

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Then, unexpectedly, she turned and gave Edgeworth a quick kiss as well. Edgeworth turned bright red and began stammering in protest. Trucy just laughed.

"I'm going to stay and watch some friends of mine perform next," she informed he father. "We're going to have some more cake after the show."

Phoenix nodded. "All right. Don't stay out too late. Tomorrow's a school day."

Trucy nodded. "Yeah, I know! I won't overdo it. Not that it's really fair for you to be lecturing me. You're the one who's drunk, Daddy."

While Phoenix was still trying to figure out how to respond to that fairly without giving too much authoritative ground, Trucy waved and turned on her heel.

"Goodnight," she called before heading back off into the crowd. "You be good, too! Goodnight, Uncle Edgeworth!"

As the two men watched her go, Edgeworth cleared his throat gently.

"As I said before," he remarked, "more emphasis might be placed on parental authority and discipline."

_Right, _thought Phoenix. _Have you ever tried 'disciplining' a child, Edgeworth? She makes these horribly sad faces, and then there's nothing I can do. I'm like putty in her hands. It's no use. You won't get it until you have kids. _

"Still," Edgeworth went on, "she certainly looks very happy to me."

"Yeah." Phoenix nodded, feeling relieved "Yeah, I think so, too."

**A short time later, outside Phoenix's apartment building…**

"It's late," remarked Edgeworth as they crossed from the parking lot back towards Phoenix's apartment building.

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _It's after eleven o'clock already. Tomorrow's another busy day._

"Um…thanks for tonight," he said. "It was fun. I don't think I'll be going back to that pasta place any time soon. I mean, those prices really are outrageous, but…it was a nice change. A good old walk down memory lane."

Edgeworth smiled. "It was my pleasure. I, ah…enjoyed the company.

"And," added Phoenix, "thanks for coming to the show with me. I'm sorry about the mess I was in earlier." He laughed and ran an awkward hand through his hair. "Nine years and I'm still not so great at the whole parenting thing. Maybe by the time she's thirty I'll have figured it out. Anyway…thanks for putting up with me."

Edgeworth just nodded, and the silence stretched out tensely between them again while the sounds of the LA night traffic filled the empty air all around.

Phoenix took a deep breath. _Jeez, _he thought. _Why do first dates always make me feel like an awkward teenager again? I wonder if these things ever get any easier. Probably not._

"Ah, well," mumbled Edgeworth. "Goodnight, Wright. Pleasant-!"

_Nope. Not getting away that easily. _Shaking his head, Phoenix took a step forward and closed the slight distance between himself and Edgeworth. Edgeworth looked alarmed, but he didn't shy away, and when Phoenix reached out to him he leaned in to the embrace. His arms were around Phoenix's back, his hands pressing eagerly against Phoenix's shoulders as Phoenix tilted his head back ever so slightly to kiss him. The kiss was warm, soft, and unexpectedly tender. Edgeworth closed his eyes and shivered a little, and Phoenix, not sure if he was giddy from the wine, the kiss, or both found his heart starting to race again and his pulse speeding up as his body responded to the passion that Phoenix so rarely saw Edgeworth exhibit in any situation outside the courtroom. Untangling his mouth from Edgeworth's, Phoenix moved his lips down to Edgeworth's collarbone. Edgeworth tensed up instantly, sucking in a sharp breath and tightening his grip on Phoenix's arms as Phoenix tasted the slight mist of sweat on the back of Edgeworth's neck.

"W-Wright," he mumbled. "What are you doing?"

_That should be pretty obvious, _thought Phoenix. _And here I thought you were the kind of guy who never asked unnecessary questions. Maybe you're starting to slip, Miles Edgeworth…_

Phoenix pulled away for a minute and straightened up, flushed and excited by the crazy acrobatics that his heart was performing in his chest. "So, uh…you want to come in for a bit?"

Edgeworth's face paled. "I…I'd like to, yes," he mumbled, "but…not this evening. It's…inappropriate to take advantage of a man who's been drinking."

"I'm pretty sober, now," insisted Phoenix, shrugging. "I promise not to cry 'foul' in the morning."

"The…morning?" Edgeworth's eyes had gone very wide. "I…I see. No, that is, I mean…I'm sorry, Wright, but… maybe another time."

Phoenix sighed. _Still the gentleman, huh? Oh well. Maybe he's right. I am still feeling a little off. Might be better just to get some sleep. No need to rush things. _

"Sure, okay," he said, shrugging. "Another time, huh? So, what are you doing on Thursday?"

He grinned to try to show that he was mostly joking around, maybe, but Edgeworth, looking genuinely crestfallen, coughed and glanced down at his feet.

"Unfortunately," he murmured, "I'm afraid I'll be out of town for the next two weeks. I have pressing business out of state. It…won't wait."

He looked as though he really wished it would, and Phoenix, though disappointed, took pity on him.

"Well," he said, shrugging, "don't worry about it. I'll be here when you get back. Apollo has a few clients lined up for us, so I'll be keeping busy, anyway."

"Good," replied Edgeworth, looking uncertainly relieved. "Well, in that case, um…goodnight."

He lingered for a moment, hazarded an uncomfortable sort of smile, then turned around and started for the parking lot.

"Hey, wait," called Phoenix before Edgeworth could get fully out of earshot. "You're gonna call, right?"

Phoenix grinned teasingly at Edgeworth, but Edgeworth turned around looking as serious as ever.

"Of course," he assured Phoenix, nodding. "I'll call."

With that he really did leave, and Phoenix ended up standing alone in the entranceway. The effects of the alcohol were rapidly wearing off, but his heart kept up its unsteady rhythm as he rode the elevator up to his apartment, with Edgeworth still on his mind.

_Two weeks, huh? _He hummed to himself as he unlocked the apartment door. _Well, it's always nice to have something to look forward to. _

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **So, three parts to a looong chapter. Very sorry about that.

One quick thing before I go:

This story isn't really about phone calls, but Edgeworth does at least promise to call Phoenix once. That reminds me of another story, by **E****rsatz Writer, **called **Call Me. **If you haven't read it yet, you should go read it now. Not a sermon, just a thought.


	13. At Last, My Turnabout - Twelve

**Author's** Note: Do you remember what I said at the very beginning of this story? Some of the events and chapters in this story are based on real events experienced by good friends of mine. Now we're starting to get into the part of the story where we're going to see some ugly and unpleasant things.

FAIR WARNING: One of the characters in this chapter uses some horribly offensive language to refer to another character. I hope this doesn't need to be said, but obviously I do not condone or support his actions in any way. The language in question is a literary choice for the purpose of developing story and character, and it in no way reflects my own political or social views. Thank you for understanding.

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**Chapter Twelve: ****Nobody Wanna See Us Together**

**November 1, 2028**

**10:00 AM**

**Outside the Money and Sons Funeral Home**

"I wonder if I'll ever get used to it," muttered Phoenix, as he and Maya stood on the steps of the funeral home and watched the mourners pouring out. "We see death all the time. It's part of our job. It shouldn't make me feel like this anymore."

Maya just shrugged. "Death is one thing, but this is something different. We see lots of murders, sure, but those are sort of...well, random."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow.

"No, um, no, random's not exactly what I mean," said Maya quickly. "I mean, we don't know those people who died. We don't have any stories about them, or any memories It's totally different when someone you know dies. It's supposed to feel bad. I think that maybe if we got too used to it, we'd be sort of...awful. Less human, maybe."

_But I didn't even know him that well, _thought Phoenix. _Honestly, I didn't even like him. Still, I was just talking to him the other day. He wasn't that old. How old was he, exactly?_

"Mortality's a strange thing," he muttered. "It's weird to think you could go at any time. I should spend more time with my daughter...and with Pearl."

"Life can be short and kinda scary," Maya agreed, "but, Nick, I don't think you have to worry too much. Prosecutor Payne died in a car accident, but you don't even drive a car. You're probably fine. Oh, unless you get hit by one, I guess. Anyway, if you're worried about not living enough, maybe we should start getting out and having some more fun. You're so serious all the time, these days. Life's short, right? So let's enjoy it! Oh, I know, let's start with a burger! I'm starving."

Phoenix just shook his head. "Why do funerals always make you hungry? Oh, wait, everything makes you hungry."

"I'm a healthy girl with a healthy appetite," retorted Maya, not missing a beat. "So, are we going or not?"

Phoenix grinned and was just about to agree that a burger might not be a terrible idea when the funeral home doors opened and several people hurried out.

"Oh," sighed Maya. "Mr. Payne..."

Gaspen Payne, the younger brother of the deceased looked absolutely awful. There were huge dark circles under his eyes and tearstains along his cheeks where he'd very clearly been crying. His suit was a rumpled mess, and his hair wasn't on even close to straight.

"I guess he really cared about his brother," Maya murmured. "I wonder what Prosecutor Winston Payne was really like?"

Behind Gaspen Payne, Detective Gumshoe was slowly descending the steps, followed by several other mourners, all official looking older men in suits.

"There, now, Mr. Payne," murmured Gumshoe soothingly. "Here, let me help you to the car..."

He put a hand on Gaspen's shoulder, but Gaspen just shook him off and lurched forward away from him.

"I'm fine," he snarled. "I don't need your help. No one ever needs your help! What are you good for anyway, 'Detective' Gumshoe? Some Detective you are. You've never been any help at all. Weren't you supposed to be on our side? You've got a reputation, you know. Do you know what they call you in the office? They call you, "Dick Gumshoe, the Case Sinker.' Know why? Because every time you give evidence for the prosecution, the prosecution's case sinks like the goddamn Titanic! My brother hated working with you! I hate working with you! Why don't you just get lost?"

Gumshoe winced, and Maya gasped. "How can he talk to Detective Gumshoe like that," she asked, glaring at Gaspen. "After everything that Detective Gumshoe's tried to do for his prosecutors! Mr. Payne had better watch himself..."

"He's grieving," returned Phoenix. "He's having a hard time right now. We have to cut him some slack. I'm sure Gumshoe understands that."

"Yeah," agreed Maya dubiously, "but I think he's been drinking, too. I can smell it on his breath. Yuck!"

_Me too, _thought Phoenix. _I guess that's something. I may an awkward, weepy kind of drunk, but at least I'm not a mean drunk like this guy. _

Gaspen Payne must have heard them talking, because he suddenly turned around, stared for a second, and then pointed a shakily accusing finger at Phoenix. "You!"

"Um...Mr. Payne." Phoenix bowed his head. "I'm very sorry for your loss."

"Oh, yeah? You're very sorry, huh?" For some reason, that remark seemed to make Gaspen even angrier. "Well isn't that sweet of you. You're sorry. After all these years, you're sorry."

"Nick," whispered Maya, "let's get out of here. He's...he's kind of scaring me. I want to go home."

Gaspen, however, apparently wasn't finished. "For years," he went on, "you were the biggest pain in my brother's ass. You and your justice, and your righteousness, and your...your talent for making things up on the fly. All he ever wanted to do was to win one case against you, to prove he wasn't...well, wasn't whatever kind of idiot you self-impressed people thought he was."

"I...I'm sorry," mumbled Phoenix, not sure what else to say.

Gaspen laughed an harsh, ugly, unsettled little laugh." But it wasn't talent, was it? Huh? Ohhhhh, no. The truth's come out, now. Right?" He turned and looked expectantly at the mourners who had followed him out, but none of them said anything. They just stood there and watched like this entire unpleasant exchange was some kind of vaguely disappointing street theater. Gaspen dismissed them with an irritable hand, and turned back to Phoenix.

"I read it in the news," continued Gaspen. "I read it. You probably never would've won most of those damn cases if you hadn't been sleeping with the prosecution, huh? Isn't that right? You're a faggot, defense attorney. That's what it says on the web. You're a goddamn faggoted-!"

"All right, pal, that's enough," shouted Gumshoe, stepping forward and taking Gaspen roughly by the arm. "I won't have you talking to Mr. Wright like that, understand? Look Mr. Payne. You're sloshed and you smell. You're not fit to be out in public. Come on, let's get you home."

Still slightly stunned by the barrage of bitter insults, Phoenix stood and watched as Gumshoe escorted Gaspen into the back seat of another mourner's car. The rest of the onlookers climbed into their own vehicles and drove away, leaving Gumshoe, Maya, and Phoenix alone in front of the funeral home.

"Sorry about that, pal," muttered Gumshoe, shaking his head. "That poor sap really had it in for the two of us. Jeez..."

"Yeah...and I barely even knew the guy," sighed Phoenix. "I never knew he hated me tat much."

Gumshoe shrugged. "Today, he probably hates everybody. Can't blame him, I guess. It's hard, losing family. Don't let it get to you, okay?"

He gave Phoenix an encouraging little clap on the shoulder. Maya beamed.

"Thanks, Detective," she said. "You're a great guy."

"Aww, I don't know about that." Gumshoe scratched awkwardly at the back of his neck. "Just don't like hearing people say stuff like that about my friends. Nobody would." He frowned, then added, "I guess Mr. Payne's been reading the stuff that Scuttlebutt woman's been printing about you and Mr. Edgeworth. Hard to believe anybody takes that stuff seriously, but...I guess that's why rumors are dangerous. People get confused. They get the wrong ideas about things, and then this kind of crap happens. It's a shame."

"Oh, um...y-yeah, right." Phoenix suddenly found himself having a hard time looking Gumshoe in the eye. "Yeah, misinformation and misunderstandings are, uh, never good."

"Right? Somebody oughta lock that Scuttlebutt lady up." Gumshoe shook his fist. "You and Mr. Edgeworth ever think about taking legal action? Uh, I mean...actually, of course you did. Seems kinda funny, me asking someone like you that question."

Phoenix laughed uncomfortably.. Gumshoe laughed, obviously oblivious to Phoenix's growing discomfort.

"Well," said Gumshoe eventually, "Guess I'd better get going. I start work in an hour or so. Stay safe, pal. Have a great rest of the day."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "You too." _And this, _he thought, relieved, _is our cue to leave. I'll just pretend that I don't notice the five or six people who are still lined up on the curb staring at me. _

"Come on, Maya," he began, taking two steps towards the parking lot. "Let's get-!"

"But, Detective Gumshoe," said Maya unexpectedly, "what if it was true?"

"Huh?" Gumshoe turned around. "What if what was true?"

"All that stuff that Myriam Scuttlebutt is writing," Maya insisted. "What if it was all true? What if Nick and Mr. Edgeworth were really in love? That wouldn't be so bad, would it? I mean, wouldn't you be happy for them? After all, they're your friends, just like you said."

Phoenix froze in mid-step. "Maya," he hissed, "what are you-?"_  
_

"That's...uh, kind of a strange question," mumbled Gumshoe, looking startled. "What'd you ask me that for?"

Maya shrugged. "No reason. I'm just curious."

She smiled the perfectly innocent little smile that she'd gotten away with at age seventeen, and somehow still got away with at age twenty six. Phoenix suddenly realized that Trucy had probably picked that up from her, and not for the first time he reminded himself to stop letting Trucy spend so much time with the worst sides of his best friends.

Gumshoe chewed thoughtfully on his lip and shoved both hands into his pockets. "Well, uh, if you really wanna know, pal..."

_No, _thought Phoenix frantically. _You know, I really don't. Why do I feel like I'm not going to like your answer? _

"I guess that's kinda why it bothers me so much when people start talking about Mr. Wright and Mr. Edgeworth like that," Gumshoe went on thoughtfully. "I mean...it's one thing to believe what you read on the internet, sure, but you gotta use your common sense. I mean, what that Scuttlebutt woman's been saying about Mr. Wright and Mr. Edgeworth, it's...well, it's sort of unnatural, isn't it? Two guys being together like that? My old Ma always used to say that kind of thing was the devil's work. She was a pretty devout lady, you know."

"Oh," mumbled Phoenix, coughing. "I...I see."

Maya looked hurt. "But, Detective Gumshoe, that's not-!"

"She was a good woman, my Ma," murmured Gumshoe nostalgically. "A real impressive lady. She stayed at home with us kids when she was young, and when she got older she started volunteering to clean up and set up at the local church. Everybody sure respected her a lot, and my sister and I were scared as hell of her. Yeah, she was an impressive lady, for sure. Intimidating...that's the word I'm looking for, maybe."

_Yup, _thought Phoenix. _I can definitely picture him having a mother like that. Somehow, it kind of explains everything you need to know about him. No wonder he's so good at putting up with Maggey. He grew up around loud, opinionated women. _

"Well," Gumshoe went on, "Like I said, Ma used to say that two men being uh...being 'romantically involved' was the devil's work. She said it was a sin, but...I don't know, I was never too sure about that. I mean, can't really be a sin, can it? After all, it's not a crime. It's not like two men being an item actually hurts anybody. Sure, maybe it's 'unnatural,' but it doesn't' seem...well, 'wrong' exactly." He reached up and scratched thoughtfully at the side of his head. "Uh...I don't know. Actually, now I'm just confusing myself."

Phoenix was doing his best not to let himself be too disappointed. "Well," he admitted, "that's understandable, of course. After all, it's kind of a complicated-!"

"No, it's not complicated at all!" Maya stamped her foot impatiently. "It's really obvious and easy! What could be 'wrong' about two people being happy?"

She glared at Gumshoe, who said nothing. Phoenix could almost feel how tense the situation had become, and a few people on the sidewalk were still staring.

"Well, uh, when you put it like that..." Gumshoe swallowed nervously. "I mean, sure happiness is a great thing, but...look, pal, I'm sorry, but I just don't know. Maybe this question's just a little too big for a guy like me. The question's kinda, uh, 'academic,' isn't it? I don't do so well with that stuff. 'Keep it simple, Gumshoe.' That's what my Maggey's always telling me. Maybe she's right. This is just...way over my head."

_I don't know about that, _thought Phoenix. _It sounds to me like you're being a lot more rational about it than a lot of people I know. I'd rather deal with you than with someone like Gaspen Payne any day. At least you're thinking about it. _

"Maya," he said aloud, "we're probably wasting Detective Gumshoe's time. He already said he's got work to do."

Maya opened her mouth to protest, but Phoenix shot her a stern look, and she reluctantly subsided.

"Y-yeah, okay." She sighed. "Well, I guess we'll be seeing you around, pal."

Giving Detective Gumshoe a dejected little wave, Maya turned on her heel and stormed off into the parking lot.

Gumshoe frowned. "huh? What's eating her?"

_It's her own fault, _thought Phoenix. _Maya should know better than to ask a question that she doesn't already know the answer to._

After saying goodbye to Gumshoe, Phoenix jogged off into the parking lot to catch up with Maya. She was waiting by her car with both arms crossed over her chest, looking like she wasn't sure if she was about to start crying or to punch someone.

"Maya," begged Phoenix, "just forget it, okay? Look, Gumshoe didn't mean any harm."

Maya just shook her head. "I don't get it," she said. "I just...I don't understand. Why would he say something like that? Why do people have to be so...? Ugh!"

She took a deep, frustrated breath, and Phoenix put an arm around her and gave her a comforting little squeeze.

"You already know why," he informed her. "You've got experience with this. Why are so many people freaked out by the idea of spirit channeling?"

Maya just shrugged.

"Because," insisted Phoenix, "they don't understand it. It reminds them of old ghost stories or late-night horror TV. It doesn't make sense to them, so they get scared. Everyone's scared of what they can't understand."

For a moment Maya was quiet, apparently turning that over in her head.

"Well then," she said eventually, clapping both hands together and straightening up to look him in the eye, "we'll just have to make sure they understand it! Um, understand you and Mr. Edgeworth, I mean. That's what we do, isn't it? We help people understand the truth! That's our job. So, let's get right to it!"

The determination in Maya's eyes made Phoenix smile, but again he just shook his head. _Sorry, Maya, _he thought, _but it doesn't really work that way. It's not that easy. You convince people with facts and evidence. Love is a feeling. It's an emotion. How do you prove an emotion? There's no evidence. It's not rational. You can't make a case out of it, one way or the other. _

**Later that evening, at the Wright Anything Agency...**

It was already after nine o'clock at night when Phoenix's cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and glanced down at the caller ID.

_Edgeworth, _he read, grinning with relief. _So, he decided to call after all. Sure, it took him a week, but who's counting?_

Pressing the call button, he cleared his throat and held the phone up to his ear. "H-hey,' he said, trying to sound nonchalant despite the way the the phone was suddenly trembling in his hand while his heart did some now familiarly unsettling acrobatics. "So, you remembered your promise."

"Wright," mumbled Edgeworth on the other end of the line. "I"m sorry. It's been an exceedingly busy week, and I've been unexpectedly tied up for days."

He paused, and Phoenix waited, listening to what he thought was the sound of papers shuffling around. Then Edgeworth coughed.

"And," he added, a bit guiltily, "I'm not entirely sure how long one is supposed to wait before calling after a first date. I thought a week seemed more than sufficient."

Phoenix almost laughed. _You know, I bet you did spend a lot of time thinking about that, _he realized. _That's exactly the kind of ridiculous thing you'd worry about. You'd be the guy to care about the 'appropriate' time interval, wouldn't you? Jeez. This would be almost cute if you hadn't made me crazy waiting for you to call. Oh, well. _

"A week may have been a little long," Phoenix informed Edgeworth.

Edgeworth sighed. "Yes, so I gathered. My apologies, Wright."

The conversation lagged fora moment, and Phoenix settled himself back in his chair, swinging both feet up on to the desk and suddenly feeling better than he had all day.

"So," he asked airily, "how's Colorado?"

"It's colder here than you'd expect," replied Edgeworth seriously. "I understand that they're calling for snow, tomorrow."

Phoenix blinked. "What...wait, seriously? In November?"

"Yes," muttered Edgeworth. "It's...unpleasant."

_No kidding, _thought Phoenix. _I mean, I like snow as much as the next guy, but...in November? That seems like a little much._

"And you, Wright," asked Edgeworth politely. "How has your week been? I understand that this is a busy time for the Wright Anything Agency. Oh, and...this morning was the funeral, wasn't it?"

Phoenix nodded, then realized that Edgeworth couldn't see him, and felt a little foolish. "Uh, yeah, it was. So, you heard about that?"

"A terrible tragedy," murmured Edgeworth. "We weren't exactly close, but...he wasn't a bad man, as men go. I've met many worse."

_Sure, _thought Phoenix. _I can understand that._

He thought about what had happened that morning at the funeral, and the ugly words that Gaspen Payne had screamed at him. He remembered the uncomfortable look on Gumshoe's face when Maya had asked him how he felt about the idea of two men being lovers, and he remembered the way that a few tenacious onlookers had continued to stare at him as he'd made his way to meet Maya back at the car.

"Wright," asked Edgeworth, "are you still there?"

"Yeah," said Phoenix slowly. "Yeah, uh...well, that's pretty much it. Otherwise, business as usual. Nothing to report."

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **

So, this chapter got pretty heavily into some socio-political stuff. I'm not trying to be preachy or to make a political statement, here, but I think that if we're going to deal with this pairing realistically then we'll have to deal with the idea that not everyone is comfortable with their romance. Even the best people, like Gumshoe, who is genuinely a good man with a good heart and good motivations might struggle to overcome some prejudices they've learned in the past. There's a lot of that sort of thing out there, and I feel that it would be irresponsible of me as a writer to completely ignore it.

Anyway, be aware that this isn't the last we've seen of prejudice in this fic.

For the moment, though, I'm sure you'd much rather focus on the budding romantic/sexual tensions between Phoenix and Edgeworth, so there will be plenty of that in the next chapter. I promise! :D


	14. At Last My Turnabout - Thirteen

**Author's Note: **Time to check and see who's reading! It's audience participation time! Yaaaaay!

As this story progresses, it's getting bigger and bigger. I'm enjoying it so much that I'm considering expanding on it, and turning it into a series of related stories.

I'd like to include a few more characters and some other story elements in that series, so I have a couple of questions for you, the wonderful, the tenacious, the benevolent reader!

1. If you had to pair Maya Fey with any character, who would it be? Of course, Phoenix and Edgeworth aren't available.

2. There are a lot of AA characters that haven't appeared in this story yet. Who would you like to see appear before the story ends?

I'd really appreciate responses. I mean, I always do, but your feedback on stuff like this helps me create better story that you're more likely to enjoy! Thanks so much for helping be a part of my writing process!

Right, okay, on to the chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Part One**

**November 8, 2028**

**9:00 AM**

**Courtroom No. 5**

A week after the incident with Gaspen Payne on the steps of the funeral home, Phoenix strode into the courtroom alone, having left Apollo and Athena back at the office in the midst of preparing an entirely different case. Phoenix was at the courthouse to defend Mr. J. J. Snow, a sixty-five year old retired gentleman living alone in an apartment only a few floors down from Phoenix's own. Mr. Snow was being accused of the murder of Clayton Tidee, the caretaker of the local park which Mr. Snow frequented.

Phoenix was tired. Mr. Snow hadn't proved to be a very easy client to deal with, and kept insisting stubbornly that he knew nothing about the murder, despite the fact that two separate eyewitnesses could place him at the park on the day of the crime. As of yet he'd refused to give Phoenix anything but the most barely basic information about himself and his movements that day, and it was looking as though this trial might be an extremely close shave and that it would subsequently be a very nerve-wracking day in court for Phoenix.

_No use complaining about it now, _Phoenix told himself, settling in behind the defense's desk and arranging his papers. _I know he's innocent. If nothing else, then I'm sure that he's too much of a stubborn stick-in-the-mud to get worked up enough to kill someone over a little thing like birdseed. One way or another, we're going to get through this, and once this trial's over…well, I'll have the rest of the day to myself._

That, at least, was something to look forward to. Phoenix found that he was having a hard time not checking his watch every few minutes, even though he knew that he wasn't going anywhere until after the trial.

_Edgeworth's plane landed an hour ago, _thought Phoenix. _He's probably home by now. I mean, I guess I could call, but…_

People were beginning to shuffle into to the courtroom and to take their seats in the gallery. Phoenix took a deep breath.

_Nope, _he admonished himself. _Keep this up and we'll lose the trial. Focus, Phoenix! Get your head in the game. Work first, play later. Just think how disgusted and annoyed Edgeworth would be if he found out that you lost a trial because you were too busy daydreaming about him. Yeah…that'd be bad. _

Mr. Snow was now being led into the court by the Bailiff, looking just as surly and uncooperative as usual. He didn't even glance in Phoenix's direction, apparently none too interested in his own defense.

_Jeez. _Phoenix sighed. _How come I never get the easy ones?_

After delivering the defendant to the court, the bailiff headed over towards Phoenix.

"Mr. Wright," announced the bailiff, "um, I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but I've just received a note from the Chief Prosecutor's Office."

"Oh, yeah?" Phoenix frowned. _The Chief Prosecutor, huh? So he's back already. I guess it's probably too much to hope that he's about to wish me 'good luck,' right?_

The bailiff took a folded piece of paper out of his pocket, and glanced quickly over it. "Um, it says here that there's been 'a substitution.'" He cleared his throat, and began reading verbatim. "Ahem. 'Mr. Wright. Prosecutor Simon Blackquill has unfortunately come down with the flu. He will be unable to prosecute today. Therefore, I have made a substitution. Please don't do anything stupid. Yours, Miles Edgeworth, District Chief Prosecutor.'"

'_Yours' is nice, _mused Phoenix dreamily. _Seems more personal somehow than 'sincerely,' I think. Wait, a substitution? Does that mean someone else is prosecuting, today? Must be Gavin. Or, no, actually, I think Gavin's out of town, so then who…? _

"That's all, sir." The bailiff hurriedly stuffed the note back into his pocket, flashed a smile and then rushed off. Phoenix turned to watch him go, and caught sight of a familiar ruffled maroon coat making its way through the aisle towards the prosecutor's bench.

Miles Edgeworth stepped up behind the bench, coughed, and began carefully and methodically removing papers from a manila folder he held in his right hand, laying them out on the bench in front of him.

Phoenix just stared. _N-no way. What's Edgeworth doing here? Wait, is THIS what he meant by 'substitution?'_

Edgeworth glanced up at Phoenix, and nodded once. "Wright," he said curtly, acknowledging Phoenix ever so briefly before dropping his eyes back to his notes.

_Ouch, _thought Phoenix, wincing and then doing his best to cover that with a cough. _That was cold. This…isn't exactly how I expected our reunion to go. 'Don't do anything stupid,' he says, and here I was kind of looking forward to doing some stupid things together later. Was there really nobody else availble? This is going to be very weird._

By now the judge had approached the bench.

"Court is now in session for the trial of Mr. Joe J. Snow," announced the bailiff. "All rise!"

Everyone in the gallery dutifully got to their feet. Phoenix tried to catch Edgeworth's eye, but Edgeworth didn't seem the least bit interested in him. Instead, his attention was focused on the judge.

"Well, well," announced the judge, glancing back and forth between Phoenix and Edgeworth. "This ought to be an entertaining day, at least. I don't remember the last time the two of you met like this in court. No, wait, yes I do…it was a year or so ago, over the re-trial of the UR-1 incident, wasn't it?"

Edgeworth nodded. "That's correct, your honor."

_Y_eah, thought Phoenix. _Oh, the memories. There's one case I'm glad to have behind me._

"Very well, then." The judge looked almost enthusiastic. "I'm actually looking forward to this. Are we all prepared?

"The prosecution is ready, your honor," declared Edgeworth.

_What? Oh! _Phoenix tore his eyes away from Edgeworth and cleared his throat. "The, uh, defense is also ready, your honor."

For just a second, Edgeworth glanced over top of his papers and gave Phoenix a disapproving look. "Something wrong, Wright?"

_Oh, sure, play it cool, Edgeworth. You know perfectly well what's wrong! Gah! _Phoenix could feel the sweat starting to pool on the back of his neck. "N-no, nothing at all," he managed, flashing Edgeworth the closest thing to a confident smile that he could muster up at the moment. "Why would you ask me that? Everything's great! Yeah…I'm super."

"Good." Edgeworth turned his attention back to the judge.

Phoenix frowned to himself. _Am I nuts, or does Edgeworth have huge dark circles under his eyes? Uh, I mean, bigger than usual. Anyway, he looks tired. Maybe it's jet lag? What's the time difference between California and Colorado? Ack, no, snap out of it, Phoenix! The case! Focus on the case! _

"In that case," declared the judge, "the prosecution may call its first witness."

Edgeworth nodded. He turned and gestured at the bailiff, who stepped forward to escort Detective Ema Skye to the stand.

Ema didn't look particularly happy. In fact, she looked almost bored as she tossed a few snackoos into her mouth and gave both Phoenix and Edgeworth a quick half-smile.

"Mr. Wright," she said." Mr. Edgeworth. Time for another day at the office, huh?"

Edgeworth said nothing. Phoenix tried to smile back, but apparently Ema had already lost interest in him.

"Okay," she sighed. "Well, you want my testimony, right? I guess this goes without saying, by now, but I'm Detective Ema Skye, with Criminal Affairs. We might as well start with the autopsy report."

"The court accepts the autopsy report into evidence," announced the judge.

"Well," continued Ema, "science can tell us that the victim was stabbed to death with a pen-knife at 10:00 AM, on the morning of November the 6th. We found the murder weapon at the scene. It was one of those commemorative veteran's pen-knives that you can get online if you donate to one of those veteran's rights agencies, and…"

Edgeworth was now watching Ema intently as her testimony droned on. Phoenix was having a very hard time not watching the way the long fingers of Edgeworth's right hand kept drumming idly on the surface of the bench.

"Thank you, Detective," said Edgeworth as Ema finished her recital. "Now, please tell us about what you found when you analyzed the murder weapon."

"You're talking about the victim's fingerprints, right?" For the first time, Ema's eyes lit up. "It's amazing what science can teach us. At first it looked like any fingerprints on the weapon had been wiped, but when I applied a new experimental method, I discovered that…"

Phoenix sighed, and ran a weary hand through his hair.

_Something tells me it's gonna be a long day, _he thought.

**Two hours later, still in Courtroom No. 5…**

"Aha!" Phoenix banged both hands down so hard on the bench that half the people in the gallery jumped. "Your honor, the witnesses' last statement directly contradicts the evidence as it now stands!"

"Oh?" The judge frowned. "It does?"

Phoenix nodded. "Yes, it does. Please, let me show you." Turning back to the witness, Phoenix was pleased to see a bead of sweat running down his forehead as he fidgeted uncomfortably in his chair. "Mr. Durkin, correct me if I'm wrong, but in your statement just a moment ago I believe you said that you witnessed the very instant that Mr. Snow stabbed Mr. Tidee. Is that correct?

"Y-yeah," mumbled the witness. "Yeah, that's what happened. I saw the whole thing! I saw him do it! My poor old Clayton...he was such a nice guy!"

"I see." Phoenix frowned. "And the crime you witnessed occurred at 10:45 AM. Is that correct?"

The witness nodded emphatically. From the prosecutor's bench, Edgeworth sucked in a sharp breath.

_Oh, so he sees it too, _thought Phoenix. _Too late, Edgeworth. This may turn out to be a fatal slip-up for you. What was it that Prosecutor Payne said? I'm going to sink this case just like the Titanic. Watch me._

Phoenix returned his attention the judge. "Your honor, if you would please take a look at the victim's autopsy report. According to this report, Mr. Tidee died sometime around the hour of 10:00."

"Yes," agreed the judge. "That's true."

"However, according to the analysis performed by Detective Skye," continued Phoenix quickly, "the murder could not have occurred any later than 10:15 PM. In that case, it is impossible that the witness could have seen Mr. Snow stabbing Mr. Tidee at 6:45." He stood up and pointed an accusing finger at the man in the witness box, who instantly cringed away from him. "Therefore, we can only assume that Mr. Durkin must be lying!"

"Th-that's so, yes!" The judge looked startled. Onlookers in the gallery began chattering excitedly amongst themselves. The judge had to bang his gavel several times to restore order, and it was a good two minutes before the hubbub died away.

_Hah! _Phoenix grinned to himself, half triumphant and half relieved. _Take that, Edgeworth! How are you going to come back from this one. Wait...huh?_

Edgeworth, for some reason, didn't seem bothered at all. If anything he only looked bored.

"Foolishness," he murmured, drumming his fingers impatiently on the bench top. "Wright, your inability to think through the simplest solutions never ceases to amaze me. Your honor, I believe the solution to this little' contradiction' will prove exceedingly logical. Witness, please explain to the court how it was that you knew what time it was when you saw Mr. Snow commit the murder."

The witness darted a harried glance at Edgeworth, who raised an eyebrow and waited, apparently completely unperturbed. The witness swallowed, nodded, and began.

"Uh, I...I saw the watch," he mumbled. "The, uh, victim had a watch on, and when I went over to see if he was okay, I saw it. It said, uh, that it was 6:45. I guess maybe the watch was fast, or something. Or maybe it was broken, I dunno."

"Ah." Edgeworth held up both hands in an expansive gesture, and gave the judge a smug little bow.

Phoenix gritted his teeth. _Oh, how I am looking forward to wiping that look off of your face, Edgeworth. I guess some things never change..._

"You see?" Edgeworth wagged one admonitory finger at Phoenix. "A very simple explanation. The victim's own watch was fast or perhaps stopped, and so Mr. Durkin was unable to determine the exact, accurate time of the crime. It's a perfectly reasonable explanation. I see no room for any further doubt on the subject."

"Y-yes, well." The judge looked honestly a little confused. "I...I suppose that is true. I myself once wore a stopped watch for three days before I realized that it was giving me the wrong time. I missed all sorts of appointments..."

Edgeworth coughed. Phoenix had to cover a laugh. For a moment, their eyes met.

_Seriously, _thought Phoenix. _Who does something like that? How did he not notice for three whole days?_

Edgeworth gave Phoenix a very brief but wry smile before turning back to the judge. "Then the matter is settled," he said. "Your honor? The prosecution awaits your verdict."

The judge looked at Phoenix. "Well, I suppose that I am prepared to announce my verdict, assuming that the defense has no further objections."

_No, _thought Phoenix_, not yet. I know that I can prove this. The evidence is all there! I just have to um...wait, actually, there was one thing about Edgeworth's solution just now that kind of bothered me. Let me take a look back through the evidence..._

"Just a moment, your honor." Phoenix glanced through his notes of the proceedings so far. "Ah, yes! Objection! Here, it's right here!"

Edgeworth sighed, and crossed his arms. "Yes, Wright? Is there yet another flight of fancy on which you'd like to lead this court?"

_Would it kill you to be a little less sarcastic? Jeez. _Phoenix shook his head, and then held up the photograph of the crime, taken by Ema upon her arrival at the scene. "Have a look at this photograph, your honor. I'd like to draw your attention to the victim lying in the foreground. Do you notice anything strange about him?"

The judge blinked. "Other than the fact that he is soaked in his own blood?"

Edgeworth coughed. "yes, your honor, I assume that Mr. Wright is referring to something else." Turning to Phoenix, he raised an eyebrow. "Well, Wright? I know you enjoy keeping us in suspense, but some of us have other pressing engagements today. Please, show us what's so wrong with this photograph."

"Yeah, I can do that." Phoenix smiled triumphantly at Edgeworth. "I know how much Mr. Edgeworth likes his 'simple' solutions, so I'll keep this one as short and simple as I can. In this photograph, both of the victim's arms are clearly visible. You can all see that he is not wearing a watch."

The judge gasped. Edgeworth looked frustrated, but otherwise didn't say a word.

"In that case," continued Phoenix, on a roll now, "it would have been impossible for Mr. Durkin to determine the time of the crime in the way that he has indicated. Mr. Durkin!" Phoenix turned and pointed at the witness.

"You've already made that gesture," muttered Edgeworth. "These theatrics are redundant."

Phoenix ignored him. "Mr. Durkin," he repeated, "I ask you again how you knew what time it was when you witnessed the murder!"

Mr. Durkin looked like was going to cry. He glanced at Edgeworth, then out into the murmuring gallery, and then back to Phoenix. "Uh...um...I-I...I-!"

"Tell the truth, Mr. Durkin," demanded Phoenix. "Did you witness the murder at all? Were you even there at the time of the crime, or has this all been an elaborate lie?"

Edgeworth slammed one fist down on the bench and shook a finger at Phoenix. "Mr. Wright, this is getting ridiculous. What possible reason could my witness have to be lying about what he saw at the scene?"

_Um, I'm not sure yet, _thought Phoenix. _Still, there has to be something. I mean, it's always possible that he's the real killer!_

Edgeworth sighed. "I certainly hope you aren't planning to suggest that Mr. Durkin himself is the murderer. If you'll remember, I have already conclusively proven to this court that the man had no motive whatsoever to commit this crime, and you have no evidence pointing to his culpability. I ask you to spare us the nonsense, please. There is, after all, perhaps a first time for everything."_  
_

Phoenix glared at Edgeworth but said nothing. _I don't like the way he's laying it on, but he has a point. It probably wasn't Durkin. No, Durkin must really have been just a bystander, except...except, no, the testimonies just don't add up. I don't think he killed Tidee, but he was definitely involved somehow. How, though? What was his part in this whole fiasco?__  
_

"We're waiting," Edgeworth reminded him.

"Y-yeah," mumbled Phoenix. "Yeah, I know, um..."

"Mr. Wright?" The judge frowned. "Have you reconsidered your accusation? I am willing to give you one more chance to think this through, but only one."

Phoenix was thinking as hard as he could. _No, no, there has to be something! Why would Mr. Durkin lie? Why would he cover up the fact that he wasn't really at the crime scene? There are only two possibilities. Either he himself killed Mr. Tidee, which we already know couldn't be true, or..._

Phoenix stood up straight, and took a deep breath. "Mr. Durkin," he began calmly. "I sympathize with what you're trying to do. You're in a difficult position, and you're doing your best for someone you love. I think everyone int his room would be able to understand that. However." He shook his head. "This is a court of law, Mr. Durkin. It's no place for romance."

For some reason, on the other side of the room, Edgeworth made a little choking sound. Phoenix did his best to ignore him, but he could feel his ears starting to turn pink.

"You're going to have to tell us the truth," he continued hurriedly. "I know what's really going on here. You're covering for someone. You're covering for the real murderer of Clayton Tidee, aren't' you, Mr. Durkin?"

Durkin had gone pale. "I...I...no, I"m not-!"

"Mr. Wright." The judge looked grim. "This is a serious accusation. Are you prepared to tell this court exactly who the witness has been 'covering for, and who is therefore the real murderer of Mr. Tidee?"

_Yep, _thought Phoenix. _Pretty sure I am. _

He nodded. "Yes, your honor. Mr. Durkin did not actually witness the crime at all. He is fabricating a story in hopes of hiding the guilt of the real culprit, Ms. Sonya Boyd, the birdwatcher!"

Again, there was an uproar in the gallery.

"Ms...Boyd?" The judge blinked. "But, Mr. Wright, she was a witness for this very case only an hour or so ago. Are you saying that she was lying?"

Phoenix shrugged. "There are only two possibilities, your honor. Either Ms. Boyd is the killer, or Mr. Durkin committed the crime. There's no other explanation for all of his lies." Turning towards the gallery, he announced, "Either Ms. Boyd must confess her guilt, or I'll be forced to pursue the idea that Mr. Durkin is, in fact, the murderer!"

Edgeworth snorted a derisive little laugh. "That's ridiculous," he muttered. "Wright, even for you, this is an unprecedented bunch of nonsense. There isn't a shred of proof that Ms. Boyd-!"

"STOP!"A woman shrieked from somewhere in the back of the room, and Phoenix looked up to see Sonya Boyd running full-tilt towards the witness box. She shoved Mr. Durkin unceremoniously out of the way, took the stand, and took a deep breath.

"I confess," she announced. "I do, I did it! I...I don't know what came over me, but...yes, yes, it was me! Jamie, sweetie, I'm so sorry," she added, turning and smiling sadly at Mr. Durkin. "I never meant you get into all this trouble because of me. I love you so much! I...I'm so happy you care, but I can't let you be accused in my place! No, I won't let you!"

Everyone in the gallery was shouting excitedly. The judge looked perplexed.

Edgeworth just stared at Mr. Durkin and Ms. Boyd in the witness box, then shook his head. "Unbelievable," he muttered, smacking one hand down on the bench in frustration. "utterly unbelievable."

When Phoenix did finally manage to catch his eye, however, he could have sworn that Edgeworth looked almost impressed.

Not quite...but almost.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

Wow, this chapter got long fast. I guess I'm having too much fun writing.

I'll try to update at least once more today. I have the whole day to myself, and I'm resting up from a minor stage-fight injury, so I'm supposed to stay here and be good. Maybe I'll just write fanfic all day...


	15. At Last, My Turnabout - Fourteen

**Author's Note: **So, here's the second part of this chapter. It will also have a third part. When I originally wrote it, it was…unbelievably long.

WARNING: These next two chapters will both contain SEXUAL CONTENT.

It's not graphic. Actually, I think it's quite subtle and tasteful, and if you are under the age of 18, I think you can still read it without scarring yourself for life or damaging your tender young minds in any way.

Whippersnappers.

However, I felt it was only fair to warn you. After all, Phoenix and Edgeworth are both mature adults in their thirties, so this kind of thing is bound to happen.

* * *

**Hit Me With Your Best Shot – Part Two**

**November 8, 2028**

**12:00 PM**

**Courtroom No. 5**

After Sonya Boyd's dramatic confession, it didn't take long for the trial to reach a conclusion. Although Ms. Boyd's guilt had yet to be conclusively proven, it was clear to the court that Mr. Snow wasn't the murderer, and the judge quickly handed down a verdict of "Not Guilty." The court having adjourned, the onlookers all rushed out into the hall, while the bailiff escorted Ms Boyd into the arms of the two waiting police officers.

Eventually only Phoenix, the judge, and Edgeworth remained in the courtroom. Phoenix found himself at something of a loss, not sure exactly what he should say to a man he'd been daydreaming about all week, but whom he'd just soundly beaten in a battle of wits and dumb luck.

"Uh," he muttered helplessly. "So…"

"As always," announced the judge, looking pleased, "that was an exhilarating trial. I always look forward to skirmishes between the two of you. They're better than anything my wife tapes on TV. I wish we had a chance to meet like this more often. It's truly a shame, Mr. Edgeworth, that you new position allows you so little time in the actual courtroom."

Edgeworth shrugged. "Thank you," he said politely. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, Your Honor, but I find my current employment quite rewarding in its own way."

"I'm sure you do, of course." The judge nodded. " In any case, Mr. Edgeworth, Mr. Wright, I have a lunch engagement. I'll see both of you again soon, I'm sure, though regrettably probably not at the same time." He sighed wistfully. "Ah, for the golden years of my career. Well, enjoy the rest of your afternoon."

He smiled and then headed slowly for the courtroom doors, leaving Edgeworth and Phoenix alone in the courtroom. Phoenix's heartbeat instantly picked up speed as he remembered what had happened the last time he'd found himself in this position.

Edgeworth, however, didn't seem to notice.

"Um," began Phoenix again. So, Edgeworth. That was, uh…I mean, you made a good case."

Edgeworth didn't even look up from the papers he was in the process of collecting off of the bench. "Thank you, Wright. You fought well. An admirable defense. You should be proud."

_Uh oh, _thought Phoenix. _Is he mad? Hey, wait, come on, that's not fair. It wasn't personal! If anyone should understand that, it's Miles Edgeworth, the poster boy for 'professional detachment.' Seriously. _

"Look, Edgeworth," said Phoenix. "I'm really sorry about this, but-!"

"Perhaps," interrupted Edgeworth, "we can continue this conversation in my office? I have some things to attend to, and no doubt the bailiff would like for us to leave the courtroom."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _I guess he would. I mean, I heard a story about these two poor saps who got locked in the courtroom one day while the bailiff wasn't paying attention. Now that you mention it, I bet he's still on edge about that._

Without waiting for an answer, Edgeworth turned on his heel and left the courtroom. Phoenix had to hurry to catch up, and ended up following Edgeworth down several hallways and around a corner until they reached the elevator. Edgeworth pressed the button for the second floor, and they waited together in incredibly awkward silence for the elevator to arrive.

_Worst reunion ever, _reflected Phoenix miserably as they stepped into the elevator and watched the doors close behind them.

The ride to the second floor was also an uncomfortably silent one, and it wasn't until they reached the door of the Chief Prosecutor's office that Edgeworth spoke up again.

" I am continually amazed," Edgeworth remarked dryly as he unlocked the office, "by your inexplicable ability to make wild, baseless accusations on a whim that somehow turn out to be accurate and inevitably result in conviction. There was absolutely no reason to believe that Sonya Boyd was the murderer in this case, and yet…" He waved a dismissive hand, as he stepped into the office and laid his manila folder down on the desk."Again, your random stab in the dark proves impossibly effective."

"I, uh, had a hunch," mumbled Phoenix.

" You are so lucky that it's somewhat disturbing," retorted Edgeworth. "Your insane method of relying on 'hunches' should never work, and yet it always does."

Shutting the door behind them, Edgeworth turned the key again in the lock, and then spun around to face Phoenix. There was suddenly something different and slightly frustrated about the look in Edgeworth's eyes that sent an excited little chill down Phoenix's spine.

"You infuriate me," muttered Edgeworth. "Your blind faith in your own nonsense defies the laws of justice and common sense." Flushing slightly, he coughed, dropped his eyes, and muttered resentfully, "It is also perversely and horribly attractive. Damn you, Wright."

"Huh?" Phoenix blinked.

Edgeworth grasped him firmly by both arms and kissed him hungrily and hard. It was a long, passionate, insistent kiss, and Phoenix almost forgot to keep breathing as he shut his eyes and fireworks went off in his head.

Eventually, Edgeworth released him, and Phoenix had to take a moment to let his head stop spinning.

"Uh, w-whoa," he mumbled, grinning like an idiot while his face felt like it was going to catch fire at any minute. "So, uh, I guess you did miss me after all. I was sort of starting to wonder, haha." He ran a nervous hand through his hair, suddenly feeling like a million dollars, the stress of that morning's trial gone in an instant.

Edgeworth glanced down at his shoes and coughed. His face looked about as read as Phoenix's face felt. "I…ah…I'm glad to be back, Wright. That is…I'm happy to see you." The words sounded strange and foreign on his tongue, but Phoenix wasn't complaining.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Yeah, you too. I mean, I'm happy to see you, too."

"Yes." Edgeworth sighed. "Well, let's never do that again."

"What? No, uh," protested Phoenix, "let's definitely do that again. Now would be fine." Reaching out, he grabbed Edgeworth around the waist and pulled him into another enthusiastic kiss. Edgeworth mumbled something unintelligible against Phoenix's lips and relaxed into the kiss for just a moment before pulling away, his face now even more flushed than it had been before.

"N-no, that's not what I meant," he mumbled. "I didn't mean…that. I meant we should probably do our best not to face each other in the courtroom in future. The situation proved, ah, trying in a number of ways. Considering our present situation, it's probably unethical for us to argue on opposing sides."

_He has a point there, _realized Phoenix, frowning thoughtfully. _And, yeah, honestly it was really stressful. Edgeworth and I have argued a hundred times in court, but…this was different. I guess everything's going to be different, now. _

"True, it might have been a bad idea," mused Phoenix. "But you have to admit, it was kind of fun. I mean, I don't usually think of court cases as 'fun,' but you're quite the courtroom opponent. It's a challenge, and I like a challenge. Um, sometimes, anyway."

"'Challenge' is not precisely the word I'd use," muttered Edgeworth. "As I mentioned before, your random accusations and unprecedented arguing style are infuriating. I never have any idea what is going to come out of your mouth next."

Phoenix grinned." And you sort of like it. Don't you? Come on, admit it You like a good challenge as much as I do. It keeps you on your toes. Otherwise you just get bored."

For a second, Edgeworth didn't' seem to have a response to that.

_Yep, _thought Phoenix triumphantly. _I was right. He gets just as much of a kick out of it as I do…_

"I-in any case," mumbled Edgeworth, "for the sake of professional ethics, this had better be the last time."

Phoenix shrugged. "You're the Chief Prosecutor. You call the shots."

"I had no choice today," countered Edgeworth. "There was absolutely no one else available. Believe me when I say that facing you in court without providing you any notice was the farthest thing from what I wanted."

_I guess he was worried that I'd 'do something stupid,' like it said in his note, _thought Phoenix. _Really? Come on, how old does he think I am? I'm a professional. I can behave myself. I've been in way more awkward situations than this one without batting an eyelash, sort of._

"Your conduct was admirable," murmured Edgeworth. "Apparently I needn't have worried."

"Nope," agreed Phoenix "I might be a little unorthodox, but even I know that there's a time and a place." Smiling sheepishly, he added, "But, uh, hey, now that you mention it…you told me 'not to do anything stupid.'"

Edgeworth nodded. "Yes, I believe those were the words I used. I'm sorry about the-!"

"How about now?" Phoenix shrugged. "It's okay for me to do something stupid now, right?"

With that, he gently took Edgeworth's shoulders and backed him up against the wall before giving him a quick kiss on the lips that Edgeworth himself barely had time to return. Then he moved his lips lightly to just beneath Edgeworth's ear, and then down to the back of his neck while Phoenix's fingers began playing with the knot of Edgeworth's ruffled collar.

Edgeworth opened his mouth to protest, but at first no sound came out. Phoenix paused and drew his hands back.

_Whoa, there. Baby steps, _thought Phoenix. _Remember this is Edgeworth we're talking about. Physical affection's probably tricky for him. He may not be the 'demon' everyone says, but he does have his robotic moments. Let's not freak him out too much. He's ugly when he's cornered. _

"No seriously," asked Phoenix. "You want me to stop?"

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "I…I don't remember saying that," he managed a little hoarsely, hesitantly placing his hands on Phoenix's hips.

Phoenix grinned. "Okay. Just checking." He resumed his struggle with the collar. _Wow, _he thought idly as his heart thumped frantically and unevenly in his chest, _how does he wear his collar this tight? No wonder he always looks like he's in pain…he probably is. A knot this strong could choke somebody. _

Edgeworth shook Phoenix off for a moment and shrugged out of his jacket, then took the lapels of Phoenix's jacket and began trying to help him out of it. Phoenix took that opportunity to give up on the collar for a moment, leaning in to give Edgeworth a quick kiss on the cheek which very quickly turned into a kiss on the mouth as Edgeworth turned eagerly o receive it. The kiss deepened and the jacket was forgotten, but somehow it ended up on the floor beside Edgeworth's nonetheless.

"The floor," muttered Edgeworth, "is not a good place for those. It hasn't been cleaned. We should-!"

"I'll have your suit dry cleaned," Phoenix assured him, stifling a smile. "It'll be my way of paying you back for taking me out to dinner."

"That's not necessary," Edgeworth retorted.

Phoenix shrugged. "Suit yourself. Oh, hah. That was almost a pun. Actually, it was a pun. Not a bad one, really." He grinned.

Edgeworth paused in the midst of working on Phoenix's shirt buttons and raised an eyebrow, looking startled and slightly disapproving. Phoenix burst out laughing.

He was just about to start helping with the buttons when a familiar tune began playing from the vicinity of his pocket. Both Phoenix and Edgeworth stopped.

"Your phone," remarked Edgeworth.

"Yeah," sighed Phoenix. "Yeah, I know. It can wait."

He passed his arms around Edgeworth again, but Edgeworth shook his head and stepped back. "It may be important," he insisted.

Phoenix sighed.

Pulling the phone out of his pocket, he held it up and read the caller ID.

_Maya, _he thought. _Yeah, I'm pretty sure this isn't important. Still…_

He pressed the call button and held the phone to his ear. "Hey, Maya? What's wrong?"

"Nick?" On the other end of the line, Maya sounded annoyed. "Where are you? We've been waiting for ages! Apollo won't let us order unti you get here and I'm soooo hungry! I feel like I'm going to faint. Everything smells so good! When are you going to get here?"

_When am I going to get where? _For a moment, Phoenix was confused.

"Please don't tell me you forgot," sighed Maya. "We were supposed to have lunch after the trial, remember? You know, to celebrate? At Eldoon's? Nick, we go there EVERY time you win a case. How could you forget? Are you feeling okay?"

_I haven't even been home yet, _thought Phoenix. _How did you know that I won? Or did you just assume that I'd win and decide to show up anyway? That's…I mean, I appreciate the vote of confidence, Maya, but…_

"Nick," demanded Maya. "Are you there?"

"Y-yeah, yeah, I'm here. Sorry." Phoenix frowned. "You say Apollo's there, too?"

"Uh huh," agreed Maya. "Yeah, and Athena, and Trucy, too. We're all waiting to congratulate you! Are you back at the office? Should we come get you?"

"Is everything all right," asked Edgeworth, raising an eyebrow.

_Well, I guess if everyone's there, _thought Phoenix, _then I probably can't get out of it, now. _

"Maya," he asked, "Um, I kinda got held up at the courthouse, but I'll be on my way soon. Do you mind if I bring Edgeworth along? We can say it's a sort of 'consolation prize' for losing."

Edgeworth scowled, and Phoenix grinned at him.

"Mr. Edgeworth's coming?" Maya sounded pleased. "Oh, sure, that's fine. What, Trucy? Oh, hang on, Nick, Trucy wants to tell you something."

There was a little bit of shuffling on the other end of the line, and then Trucy spoke up. "Daddy," she announced. "You have to bring Mr. Edgeworth! I want to thank him for coming to the show the other night! Please bring him with you! Are you with him, now?"

_I am absolutely not telling you that, _decided Phoenix." Sure," he said aloud, "I'll bring him. I'll be there as soon as possible. Go ahead and order without me before Maya gets too ravenous and starts scaring people, okay?"

Trucy assured him that she'd handle it, and he hung up the phone, shoving it back into his pocket.

"Sorry," he said, turning back to Edgeworth, "but it looks like everybody wants you to come to Eldoon's with us. I know you have some work to get done, but I don't think Trucy's taking no for an answer."

Edgeworth looked surprised. "You don't mind? Isn't that a little irregular? After all, this is a celebratory lunch for you, the victorious party. As prosecutor and thus the loser, I would be a bit out of place."

Phoenix shrugged. "It's just lunch, and Eldoon's at that. We're only celebrating because Maya's hungry, as usual."

"Well, if you're…certain that you won't mind." Edgeworth himself looked uncertain, but Phoenix flashed him a smile and then bent down to get both jackets off of the floor.

"Looks like we'll have to finish this another time," he sighed. "Oh, well. Always nice to have something to look forward to. Hmm, why do I feel like I've said that to myself pretty recently?"

Edgeworth coughed. Phoenix laughed. Together, they headed for the office door, Edgeworth still in the process of shrugging back into his jacket.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's Note: **And the next one is even racier. I'll post it later this evening, as it's already finished.

Thank you so much to everyone who provided feedback! I see that almost everyone wants to see Wendy Oldbag in this story, and honestly as Oldbag is pretty much my alter-ego, I'll definitely have to include her.

Also, interesting favorite Maya pairing! I'll have to play with that as well. You guys have ben wonderfully helpful and inspiring. I appreciate it so much!


	16. At Last, My Turnabout - Fifteen

**Author's Note: **And here, finally, is part three. Good gracious, I think maybe I write too much.

WARNING: I said it before, but I'll say it again; sexual content. There won't be any more of that for a while since we're about to get into the darker part of this story, so enjoy it while it lasts (if that's your thing.)

Also, WARNING: Discussion of homosexuality and various interpersonal crises that arise thereof in the lives/minds of our heroes.

I think that covers all the literary bombs I've left lying around in this chapter.

I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen: Hit Me With Your Best Shot – Part Three**

**November 8, 2028**

**10:00 PM**

**The Wonder Bar**

The entire Wright Anything Agency, along with a few friends, was seated in the back row of chairs at the Wonder Bar and watching Trucy's magic show. Trucy had just produced Mr. Hat from the inner recesses of her cloak, and the audience, as always, was laughing and applauding appreciatively.

"I don't get it," announced Maya, shaking her head. "I mean, I know that it's her signature trick, and all, but it's basically a puppet, and it's kind of creepy. It really…actually kind of creeps me out. I don't know why. Maybe I just don't like puppets?"

_Really? _Phoenix frowned. _I would have thought you'd be the type to like puppets. After all, your favorite television shows are all designed for children._

"Don't let her hear you say that," sighed Apollo. "She's obsessed with that thing. Sometimes I get into the office and I find it sitting on the sofa in the foyer. I'll never get used to turning the light on and seeing it just sitting there. There's something just wrong about it."

"You guys." Athena frowned. "Don't be so hard on Trucy. Look, she must be right about Mr. Hat, because the audience loves it! It gets huge laughs every night! Oh, did you hear that she's not calling it 'Hat Gramarye' anymore?"

"Hmm?" Phoenix frowned. "She's not? What, did she go back to just plain 'Mr. Hat?' I guess that is easier to say."

"Nope!" Athena grinned. "Now he's 'Hat Wright.' I guess that makes him part of the family."

"That's…kind of a tongue twister," mused Maya. "Maybe 'Hat Wright' just has too many Ts, or something, but it sounds weird."

Phoenix felt Edgeworth's eyes on him, and when he turned around, for some reason Edgeworth was smiling very slightly.

_Hat Wright, huh? _Suddenly he felt good and warm inside. _I didn't know. That's…that's nice, Trucy. Thanks._

On the stage, Trucy put Hat Wright away and took a little bow while the audience applauded. She then took off her favorite silk hat, reached inside, and then flipped the hat over so that the audience could all see that it was completely empty inside. She then reached in, and dramatically pulled out a bouquet of what looked to Phoenix like horribly fake, garish pink and white flowers.

"That's new," he said.

"Not very original, though," argued Apollo. Athena scowled at him.

"Ladies and gentlemen," announced Trucy, waving an expansive hand at the crowd. "We have a very special guest with us in the audience tonight!" She grinned. "Hi, Daddy!"

The entire crowd began looking around, trying to figure out who Trucy was talking to. Phoenix sunk a little lower in his seat.

"Now, my Daddy's a great guy," continued Trucy conversationally. "He's a super-wonderful catch! He's still single, though. You know what they say; there's someone out there for everybody, right? So, let's see if we can help my Daddy find someone special just for him! Ready?"

"What is she doing?" Apollo frowned.

_I have no idea, _thought Phoenix, _but whatever it is, I wish it'd stop. Come on, Trucy, this isn't fair. I never agreed to be in this show!_

With a flourish of the wrist, Trucy threw the fake bouquet out into the crowd. It soared over the first few rows and fell in between Maya and Edgeworth. Apparently without thinking. Edgeworth reached out and caught it.

The audience held its breath for a moment as Phoenix turned pink.

"Yay!" Trucy beamed. "Let's hear it for Mr. Miles Edgeworth!"

Hesitantly, the audience began clapping, one person at a time, until eventually several people had joined in, not enthusiastically, but politely, at least.

Edgeworth was now purple with embarrassment and discomfort. "What…what on earth is THIS? He glared at Phoenix, who held up both hands in a gesture of protest.

"I had nothing to do with it," Phoenix insisted. "You know Trucy! You said it yourself. She has a discipline problem. Why are you looking at me like that? I swear, this wasn't my idea!"

Athena stifled a laugh with both hands, but Maya wasn't so polite. She dissolved into giggles, leaving Apollo, Phoenix, and Edgeworth all doing their best not to make eye contact with each other.

Trucy only had a few more tricks up her sleeve after that, and eventually, the show wound down. Athena and Apollo settled themselves in at the bar, each with a drink of their choice while Maya, Phoenix, and Edgeworth all made for the door.

"What about Trucy," asked Maya. "Wills he be okay getting home?"

Phoenix nodded. "She usually sticks around after the show for a bit. Tomorrow's Saturday, so she can stay up a little later. Athena says she'll make sure Trucy leaves before midnight."

Athena was now laughing uproariously at something that Apollo had just said. Apollo looked pleased with himself.

"Are you sure you can count on Athena for that?" Maya frowned. "She's halfway gone already."

Phoenix shook his head. "She's only nineteen," he reminded Maya. "Whatever she's having, it's non alcoholic. Trucy will be fine. Besides, Apollo's here. He may not show it all that often, but he's very attached to Trucy. He won't let anything happen to her."

Maya cast another quick look at Apollo and Athena, then shrugged, smiled, and nodded. "Okay," she said. "Wow, Nick, you're lucky to have such great people on your team. You seem like you really trust them."

_Yeah, I sure do, _thought Phoenix. _And, even if they have a strange way of showing it, I think they've proven lately that they do have my best interests at heart. _He glanced over at Edgeworth, who was in the process of checking his watch.

"I should be getting home," announced Edgeworth. "There is an unfortunate mountain of paperwork that I've been putting off all day at someone's request."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Phoenix laughed. "You have to admit, though, this was a lot more fun that paperwork, right?"

"Hardly the point," muttered Edgeworth. "I'll be terribly behind. You've cost me perhaps a whole day. For anyone else, Wright, this would be out of the question."

_I think that means he cares, _thought Phoenix. _Aww, Edgeworth, you're too kind. _

Maya beamed at them both. "Well, I guess that's my cue to get going! Pearl's waiting for me at home, anyway. I promised I'd help her with her math homework."

"What…you? Really?" Phoenix blinked.

Maya glared at him. "Yes, me. I mean, I took math once, in high school. I was sort of okay at it. How bad could it be, right?"

Edgeworth made a sort of choking sound that Phoenix could only assume was a stifled laugh.

"Anyway," Maya went on, ignoring Edgeworth, "I'm going. See you next week, Nick! Oh, don't forget this time; we have a lunch date on Tuesday."

She gave them a little wave and left the bar. For a moment, Phoenix and Edgeworth stood in the entrance while people milled around behind them.

_I guess that means it's time to go, _thought Phoenix.

"I'll walk you home, Wright," suggested Edgeworth gallantly.

Phoenix smiled. "Thanks."

"Ah, no, no need to thank me," said Edgeworth. "If you'll remember, I left my car at the lot behind your apartment complex. I…really do need to walk home with you."

The streets were pretty crowded and noisy when Phoenix and Edgeworth left the bar. L.A. was a great place for nightlife on a Friday evening, and everyone seemed to be getting started early on their weekend.

"I returned that...garish stage prop to your daughter," remarked Edgeworth as they approached the apartment complex. "I assume she'll be needing it for another performance."

_I certainly hope not, _thought Phoenix. _Remind me not to be in the room the next time she decides to use that trick._

"She was really glad you came," Phoenix said aloud. "I guess she just has a funny way of showing it."

Edgeworth muttered something under his breath that Phoenix couldn't hear.

As they approached the entrance to the complex, Phoenix's heart started picking up speed again.

"You know," he said, "tomorrow's Saturday."

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth, apparently unwilling to meet his eyes. "That's true."

_I don't want to sound like I'm begging, _thought Phoenix. _Still, we did sort of get interrupted earlier, and I don't think he's…exactly against the idea. Not exactly._

"Wright," began Edgeworth apologetically. "As I mentioned, I have a lot of paperwork to do."

"Yeah," I know, Phoenix agreed. "I heard. But-!"

"I'm afraid I can't let myself all any farther behind," Edgeworth was saying. "The position of Chief Prosecutor is a rather weighty one. A lot of competent and hard-working individuals would be disappointed if I failed to keep up my end. Surely you understand that."

Phoenix nodded. "Sure, I understand."

On a whim he reached out and caught one of Edgeworth's hands in his. Edgeworth stopped in his tracks, startled, and Phoenix took that opportunity to lean in and kiss him. Behind them, a few people started whispering, but Phoenix ignored them, capturing Edgeworth's other hand as he deepened the kisss.

"Wright," mumbled Edgeworth confusedly as Phoenix finally pulled away. "We…we're in public. People are staring."

Phoenix shrugged. "I don't care. Anyway, if you're that bothered by it we can go up to my apartment where no one will stare."

"I…have work," insisted Edgeworth.

Phoenix nodded. "I know. I'm not saying you have to, and I won't keep pushing it, but its Friday night and I'd really like you to stay."

For a moment, Edgeworth just stood there with his mouth slightly open in a combination of uncertainty and surprise. Then he cleared his throat, and mumbled something under his breath which sounded like "…not something I hear very often."

"Huh?" Phoenix frowned. "What was that?"

"Nothing," muttered Edgeworth. "I…yes, I'd like to…to stay, if you're sure. Thank you. I, ah…perhaps I should notify the parking officials?"

"Nah, forget it." Phoenix smiled. "They don't tow on Friday nights. I checked."

As they rode the elevator up towards Phoenix's apartment, Edgeworth frowned. "You've had other late-night visitors, then?"

Phoenix raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, I assume since you are so familiar with the parking policy," added Edgeworth hastily, "that you must have had several overnight guests."

"Sure, sometimes," replied Phoenix. "Maya stays over a lot, actually. She has a car, but she's not the best driver. I feel a lot better with her off the road, so if it's late, she crashes here."

"I see." Edgeworth sounded relieved. "Just Maya, then."

_Am I reading the signals wrong, or is Edgeworth getting just a little jealous? _Phoenix grinned. _Well that's definitely a new one. Hey, I'm not the one who got my picture taken a few months ago about to make out with another guy. _

"Pearl stays over sometimes, too," added Phoenix. "And Trucy had a sleepover with some girlfriends, once."

"Only female friends?" Edgeworth smiled wryly. "You don't entertain her gentleman friends, then?"

_Hey come on, _thought Phoenix, scowling. _We may have some discipline issues in our family, sure, but I'm not THAT lenient of a Dad. Then again, with my luck, Trucy'll turn out to be interested in girls and she'll announce that she's actually dating one of those 'close friends' of hers. Can't protect her from everything, I guess. _

By this time they'd reached Phoenix's floor, and Edgeworth waited by the elevator while Phoenix fiddled with the key in the lock.

"Can I get you anything?" asked Phoenix as they went in. "I don't have much, and we don't keep alcohol in the house, but there are a couple of bottles of grape juice in the fridge, and probably a few cans of soda."

Edgeworth shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm fine."

"Okay." Phoenix took a deep breath, suddenly not quite sure where to go from here. _I've done this plenty of times, _he thought, _but…somehow, this is different. It's weird. Not in a bad way, but definitely…strange. I mean, it's Edgeworth. I never imagined I'd be here…in this kind of an awkward situation with Miles Edgeworth. What am I supposed to say?_

Edgeworth had turned his back to Phoenix and was apparently looking out the far window at the nightlife below.

"So," began Phoenix. "Um…"

"Wright," interrupted Edgeworth suddenly, still not looking at him, "I feel there's something you should know about me. I had not intended to share this with you, but at this juncture perhaps full disclosure is necessary."

"Uh..sure." Phoenix wasn't sure what to make of that, either. "What's up?"

Edgeworth was silent for a moment. "This scenario is somewhat new for me," he said eventually in a a very calm and level voice that Phoenix had come to realize meant that Edgeworth was holding himself in very careful check.

"Huh? Wait, but...hold on," insisted Phoenix. "Are you saying you've never been in a guy's apartment before?"

"Essentially," agreed Edgeworth. "I've certainly been to apartments, but never with…ah, romantic intentions."

_No way, _thought Phoenix. _That makes no sense. That statement directly contradicts the evidence!_

"But," he insisted, "I thought…I mean, that photo in 'the LA News of the Weird.' That was…I mean, that was a photograph of you and a date, wasn't it?"

"Date," murmured Edgeworth, "is not exactly the best word."

Phoenix waited, but Edgeworth said nothing.

"So," Phoenix asked eventually, "then, you weren't actually seeing that guy?"

Edgeworth sighed. "I'm enjoying this even less than I'd expected," he muttered. "No, I was not exactly 'seeing' him. There is a club several blocks from my apartment which caters to men who prefer the company of other men. Men go there to meet a certain physical need. Encounters between patrons are necessarily anonymous, and usually occur no more than once." He took a deep breath, then added bitterly, "It is a place for men who are...to some extent, ashamed of what they are. They do not wish to be seen, noticed, or recognized, and no discussion of any encounter is held outside of the club environment, by agreement of all parties."

_Yeah, _realized Phoenix. _Now that he mentions it, that photograph was taken outside a club, wasn't it? Wait, but...that's not just an ordinary club. That sounds like...well, nowhere that I'd want to be. Is Edgeworth saying what I think he's saying? He's...one of those men who's 'ashamed of what they are?' But, wait, that's not-!_

"All of my previous sexual encounters with other men," continued Edgeworth, now forcing the words out through gritted teeth, "have been by way of that club. You understand what I mean, then, when I say that this sort of experience is new to me."

"Y-yeah, I guess so," stammered Phoenix, completely taken aback and with no clue what to say. Edgeworth still wasn't looking at him, and the atmosphere had gotten very heavy all of a sudden.

_I had no idea, _thought Phoenix. _I mean…Edgeworth's the last person I'd expect to go to a place like that. Sure, there's nothing wrong with random encounters now and then, I guess, but shame and guilt are dangerous things. People find out about them, and they use them to blackmail you, or worse. Edgeworth's Chief Prosecutor. He's seen a hundred cases just like that. He should really know better._

"I ask that you not judge me too harshly," mumbled Edgeworth.

"I'm not judging you at all,' Phoenix insisted hastily. _Well…I sort of am, actually._

"A-anyway," he said, "at least this takes the pressure off of me, right? I mean, I guess I have less to live up to!"

He laughed, but it was a hollow laugh, and Edgeworth didn't seem at all amused. '

"Uh…so…here," muttered Phoenix, leading the way towards his own bedroom door. "This one's mine. Trucy sleeps next door, but she probably won't be home for another hour, so…"

He opened the door, and without a word, Edgeworth joined him in the bedroom.

"It's cleaner than I expected," he muttered.

Phoenix shrugged. "I've been working late a lot. All the mess is at the office"

"Of course." For a moment, Edgeworth almost smiled, but then cleared his throat and turned towards the door again. "Shall I get the lights?"

"Huh? Oh, sure," mumbled Phoenix. "If you want to."

Edgeworth hesitated. "It's whatever you'd prefer," he said. "At…the club I mentioned, the lights were always off."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix, _I guess they would be at a place like that, where people don't want to be seen. Guys who are too ashamed to go out and date each other in public probably don't want to have to look each other in the eye when they're…uh, how did he put it? 'Meeting physical needs?' Right. _

"Hey, Edgeworth," he said. "Can I ask you something?"

For the first time, Edgeworth turned around at met his eyes. Phoenix was shocked to see how unexpectedly tired and disgusted he looked.

_I guess he really didn't want to tell me that, _thought Phoenix. _Looks like he's pretty sick of himself, right now. _

"Yes," said Edgeworth quietly. "You may ask."

Phoenix nodded. "Are you ashamed of…uh, of being with me like this?"

Edgeworth 's eyes went wide. "Of…of you? No, I…of course not. I think I made it reasonably clear to you several weeks ago, Wright, that I…have had very strong if unwelcome feelings for you for quite some time. You're…not like the men with whom I'm usually involved."

Phoenix didn't realize he'd been holding his breath until he suddenly started breathing again. _Oh, good, _he thought. _Yeah, well, there go a few years off my life. _

"Okay," he said, nodding at Edgeworth. "In that case…come here. Please."

Edgeworth took a few steps over towards the bed, and Phoenix placed both hands on his shoulders and looked him square in the eye.

"You can turn the lights off if it makes you feel better, " he began, "but honestly I don't see the need. I asked you to stay, and I'm glad you're here, and there's nothing I feel like I have to hide from or pretend not to see. It's up to you."

Edgeworth opened his mouth, then closed it again and said nothing.

"Am I a little freaked out? Yeah, definitely," continued Phoenix, trying to keep his voice as calm and level as he could. "This is…this is weird. You're not someone I thought I'd be here, with. We have a strange history. You're sort of my enemy, and sort of my rival, and definitely my friend half the time, and yeah, this is…messed up in a lot of ways."

Edgeworth flinched.

"When I said I was serious about you, though, I meant it," insisted Phoenix. "I like where this is going and I've been having a great time with you lately. I'm not sure what exactly I'm feeling, but I know that I like it, and for now that's plenty."

He kissed Edgeworth very slowly, placing one hand on his shoulder for support and the other against the side of his face, guiding him gently into the kiss. He let their lips linger together for a moment, not rushing, not demanding anything, just enjoying the taste of Edgeworth's tongue and feeling that subtle warmth begin to course through him as his body responded to the contact.

Edgeworth shivered a bit. "Th-that," he stammered. "That in particular is a relatively new experience for me."

_What, _wondered Phoenix. _You mean, tenderness? Yeah…well, that explains a lot. _

He sat down on the bed, still holding both Edgeworth's hands in his. Edgeworth hesitated only a moment before leaning forward and pressing Phoenix back onto the mattress. Phoenix began his second attempt that day at undoing Edgeworth's collar, and found that he'd apparently loosened it enough that morning to allow for more success this time around. He slipped out of his jacket, and then helped Edgeworth out of his. This time neither man complained when both jackets ended up in a little heap on the floor.

Edgeworth, in turn, began deftly loosening Phoenix's tie.

_He has nice hands, _thought Phoenix idly, closing his eyes for a moment and enjoying the feeling of Edgeworth's fingers playing across the bare skin of his throat. When he opened his eyes again he found himself looking directly up into Edgeworth's face. Their eyes met, and Edgeworth paused for a moment, frowning.

"Wright," mumbled Edgeworth, clearing his throat and averting his eyes. "Do you prefer to-?"

"This is fine," insisted Phoenix. "Really."

Edgeworth swallowed. "Y-yes, I suppose so. But, if you'd rather not-!"

"Hey, look at me." Phoenix took two fingers and gently turned Edgeworth's face back to his.

"Listen," he said. "After all the times that we've been at odds or at each other's throats, this may sound kind of weird coming from me, but try to believe me when I say that you have nothing to be ashamed of."

Edgeworth let out a long, frustrated breath. "Unbelievable," he murmured softly, removing the tie and depositing it on the floor behind him.

**Fin. **

* * *

**Author's End Note: **So, that chapter was honestly kind of hard to write. I've edited and edited, but I think I'd better leave it alone for now.

Please, I'd be very interested in hearing how you feel, especially about the third part of the chapter (this last one.)

Thank you as always for reading and for your support. :)


	17. At Last, My Turnabout - Sixteen

**Author's Note: **So this evening I have work until 5 AM, and tomorrow I have work at 7:00 AM. Good grief. Needless to say I do not think there will be an update tonight or tomorrow, so this will probably be our last update for a couple of days.

I tried to end this arc with a bang. Ah..haha…I think that was a pun. Not a great pun, but…

…aaaanyway. Let's have that chapter, shall we?

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: Hallelujah**

**November 8, 2028**

**7:00 AM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

It should have been a beautiful Saturday morning, but it wasn't. Phoenix woke up to the sound of rain pelting the windows in his oppressively dark apartment. The sun wasn't shining and the birds were hiding from the rain, but Phoenix didn't care. He felt amazing and magically full of energy, like the world was his oyster and there was nothing in it for him that wasn't beautiful.

_Huh, _he thought giddily, somehow unable to stop grinning to himself. _So this is it, I guess. This is what all those stupid love songs are actually talking about. Well…it's not bad. It's sort of like being drunk, only much, much better. Yeah, I could get used to this. _

Edgeworth was still asleep in a heap next to him, lying on his stomach with his face buried in pillows. He was snoring gently, which Phoenix thought was hilarious and kind of adorable at the same time.

_Pretty sure I can't ever tell Edgeworth that I know he snores, though, _thought Phoenix. _I think he'd kill me if I ever brought that up. _

Briefly, Phoenix considered waking Edgeworth up by doing something obnoxious, like blowing in his ear or giving him a raspberry on the back of the neck, just to see how he'd react.

_Nah, _he decided. _He's probably exhausted. Jet lag, remember? Besides, yesterday was…stressful, in a bunch of ways, and apparently he's got paperwork to do today. I'll just let him sleep._

As quietly as he could, Phoenix located a pair of pants and a shirt, tiptoed out of the room and shut the door behind him.

He caught himself humming something tuneless and triumphant as he crossed into the kitchen. The box of Awesome-O cereal was still out on the counter, and he was sure it hadn't been there the night before.

_Good, _thought Phoenix. _So Trucy got home okay. I probably should have waited up to make sure, though. Parenting…someday, I'll get the hang of it, honestly._

The cereal reminded Phoenix of breakfast, and suddenly he was starving. It occurred to him that the gentlemanly, romantic thing to do would be to make something amazing to bring to Edgeworth when he woke up.

_Yeah, _he thought, _I would do that if I could cook. As it stands now, the stuff I make isn't exactly what you'd call 'edible,' and I've already been accused of homicide enough for one lifetime, thank you very much. No need to encourage an 'attempted homicide' conviction as well. Somehow, I feel like even the accidental poisoning of the Chief Prosecutor would be taken pretty seriously._

Temporarily abandoning the idea of cooking, Phoenix frowned and glanced out the window. It was still pouring outside, which meant that walking around the block to the convenience store was also out of the question.

_Then again, _he told himself, _I could go out in the rain and just let myself get soaked. That'd be pretty romantic, right? There's something dashing about a man who'd brave the weather just to get you some breakfast. That's gotta be a thing. I swear I saw a movie like that, once. Not a very good movie, mind…_

Having a hard time keeping still, Phoenix ran both hands through his hair, blew out a long breath, and tried to relax.

There was a keyboard sitting against the wall just outside the door to his bedroom, which he'd purchased a few months ago to practice on. "Practicing' had very quickly turned into "procrastination," as Phoenix found himself ready to start playing the piano only when the house needed cleaning, or when paperwork had to get done. Still, at the moment he felt like me might explode with ecstatic restlessness if he didn't find some outlet for his energy.

He dragged both keyboard and piano bench across the hall so that they were at least a little farther away from the bedroom, then sat down on the bench, frowned, and began to play.

Phoenix didn't know that many songs. He had a book, of course, of various simple but presentable piano songs that someone at his pretty basic learning level could easily master and perform. He'd even played one or two of them for company, the other day, when Maya and Pearl had insisted that he show off what his tutor had been teaching him. Maya had beamed, and Pearl had clapped, and they'd both been appreciative and had showered him with praise, but Phoenix was no fool, despite what certain other people might have said of him. He knew that for all of their encouragement, he really wasn't any good.

_They say that strong feelings breed great art, or something like that, _he thought. _Musicians are supposed to be passionate about their music. I don't know about music, but after last night, I definitely get passion. Feelings, too, I've got a lot of those. Let's see if that helps._

He played for a few minutes, missing the odd note here and there, stopping occasionally to remember which finger was supposed to go where, and generally being glad that the rain was probably drowning out the sound of the keyboard anyway, if anyone else in the apartment was awake enough to listen.

At one point, he got so involved in the music, or at least in trying to make it sound like music that he stopped paying attention to what was going on around him and focused all his attention on the keyboard. When he finally figured out where he'd gone wrong with the piece and looked up triumphantly from the stand, he found Edgeworth standing in the bedroom doorway, barefoot and half-dressed in only his shirt and pants. He wasn't his frilly, formal, overdressed self, and for some reason that made him look exposed and almost vulnerable.

"Oh," said Phoenix, getting hastily to his feet and abandoning the keyboard "Um, hi."

"G-good morning," mumbled Edgeworth, coughing and reaching up to straighten a frilly cravat that wasn't there. "I, ah…was wondering if I might use your shower."

"Huh? Yeah, sure." Phoenix nodded. "Here, it's, um…it's right here."

He led Edgeworth back into the bedroom and over to a closed door on the left wall. "Fair warning," he announced. "It's a shared bathroom. I mean, Trucy uses it, too."

Edgeworth paled slightly. "In that case, perhaps I'll wait until I can discuss the arrangement of shower schedules with her. I…do not want to alarm her first thing in the morning."

_Trust me, she's not the one who'd freak out, _thought Phoenix. _I'm more worried about you. You look like you're about to panic and make a run for it any minute. _

"Hey," said Phoenix, "I never said good morning, did I?"

He kissed Edgeworth gently, and Edgeworth succumbed almost instantly, relaxing into the embrace and taking hold of Phoenix by both arms to pull him closer. Edgeworth closed his eyes, and Phoenix felt himself smiling uncontrollably again as his heart started pounding and all thoughts of piano music were replaced entirely by floods of delectable feelings.

"Y-you know," he suggested, clearing his throat, "while we're waiting for Trucy to wake up, we could always just go back to bed for a bit. It is Saturday, after all. Nowhere to be in a hurry."

"Wha…?" Edgeworth released Phoenix and stared, his mouth slightly open as he flushed red. "I…I suppose there wouldn't' be any harm…ah…if you'd like to. That is, um..."

Phoenix grinned. _Who would have thought? All these years I've been doing my best to catch Edgeworth off guard or to throw him off his game, and apparently all I had to do was to take him to bed. I should have done this years ago. It's kind of a rush, getting him totally flabbergasted like this. I wonder if that counts as masochism? Oh, well, it's been a long time coming. _

Phoenix was just about to lead Edgeworth back over to the bed when he heard soft footsteps behind him on the carpet.

"Oh! Morning, Daddy," said Trucy sleepily from the open doorway behind Phoenix "Morning, Uncle Edgeworth."

Phoenix and Edgeworth both spun around to face her.

"ACK!" Edgeworth suddenly lunged as far away from Phoenix as he possibly could in the small confines of the bedroom. "T-Trucy! Good…good morning."

_Right, _thought Phoenix, swallowing uncomfortably. _I think this is the part where I come up with some kind of rational explanation for why we're both half-naked in my room. Uh…_

Trucy smiled, gave them both a little wave, and then yawned. "It's raining, "she remarked idly. "I like rain. It's fun to listen to it on the windows while I'm waking up. Oh, but I think we're out of toast, and I ate the rest of the cereal. Maybe I should go shopping…"

She turned around and headed back towards the kitchen, leaving Phoenix and Edgeworth staring after her, bemused.

"That…wasn't exactly what I expected," muttered Edgeworth. "Perhaps she isn't fully awake, yet."

Phoenix shook his head. "I don't think it matters. Trucy's probably your biggest fan. I'm surprised she didn't bring pompoms or something to start cheering us on."

Edgeworth blinked. "What…? But that's-!"

"I'm kidding," insisted Phoenix. _Sort of. Maybe. _"Anyway, it looks like now's your chance for a shower. I'll see what I can do about something to eat, although I wouldn't get your hopes up."

While Edgeworth retreated into the bathroom, Phoenix made his way back to the kitchen, where he found Trucy sitting at the table and talking on her cell phone.

"Uh huh," she was saying to whoever was on the other end of the line. "Which website? Oh, yeah, I know that one. Everyone knows…oh. I-I see. Huh? Why are you asking me? I…I don't know. No, really, I don't! It's probably…" Suddenly, Trucy noticed Phoenix. She bit her lip, frowned, and then said into her phone, "Sorry, I kind of have to go. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Thanks for calling. Um…bye."

She hung up the phone, put it down on the counter, and then turned to her father, looking less than delighted. "Um…okay, Daddy? Don't freak out or anything, but…I think we might have a problem."

_I have a very bad feeling about this, _thought Phoenix, thinking about what he'd just overheard. _A website that everyone knows, huh? Oh boy…_

Trucy was already on her cell phone again, punching in numbers and watching the screen, apparently waiting for something to load. After a moment her eyes widened,. "Uh oh…"

Phoenix sighed. "It's me and Edgeworth, isn't it? On 'The LA News of the Weird,' right? Is that what you're looking at?"

Trucy just nodded and handed Phoenix the phone.

The front page of the website was only partially visible on the tiny phone screen. At the top of the page was a bold, black headline which read proudly, "UNJUST TRYST CAUGHT ON CAMERA! WHEN THE DEFENSE IS IN BED WITH THE PROSECUTION, WHO CAN YOU TRUST?"

Underneath the headline was a full-color photo of Phoenix and Edgeworth making out aggressively against the door to Edgeworth's office.

"Yeah," mumbled Phoenix wearily, handing the phone back to Trucy. "That's pretty much what I expected, I guess. Apparently Edgeworth's bug check wasn't thorough enough."

Trucy frowned. "You're not angry?"

_No, _thought Phoenix. _It's weird, but I'm not. I should probably be panicking right now, but I sort of knew this was coming. Honestly, I guess it doesn't matter one way or another anymore. _

At that moment, the bedroom door opened, and Edgeworth came out, now fully dressed in his complete suit set and in the process of toweling off his hair.

"I…hope you don't mind," he muttered, holding out the towel. "I borrowed this."

Phoenix shrugged. "Yeah, of course. That's what it's there for."

"Um, Uncle Edgeworth," began Trucy, eyeing him warily. "You…you should probably see this."

_Wait, no, hold it! _Phoenix had hoped to at least prepare Edgeworth a bit before showing him the photo, but before he had a chance to intervene, Trucy had already handed Edgeworth the phone. While Edgeworth examined at the screen, Phoenix held his breath.

For what felt like a very long moment, no one said anything. Edgeworth sucked in a sharp breath, and his eyes widened horribly, his fingers tightening hard around the cell phone. Trucy quickly reached out for it, and Edgeworth thrust it back at her without even looking.

"I see," he muttered, seething quietly, both fists clenching at his sides.

_Yup, _thought Phoenix. _This is exactly what I was afraid of. _

"Listen, Edgeworth," Phoenix began. "Don't worry about it. It's not-!"

"This will be handled immediately," mumbled Edgeworth, apparently completely ignoring Phoenix. "The Chief Prosecutor's Office will release a public statement this evening to the effect that we presume the photograph in today's edition of 'The LA News of the Weird,' to be a fabrication created, no doubt, on someone's personal computer."

_Oh great, _thought Phoenix. _And now he's using the royal 'we.' Not good._

"Edgeworth," said Phoenix carefully. "The photograph isn't a fabrication. It's a real photo."

"I…I know that," snarled Edgeworth. "But-!"

"So if you announce that it's a fake," Phoenix insisted, "you'll be committing libel. That's not something the Chief Prosecutor can get away with, and it's not the way you operate, anyway."

Edgeworth looked frustrated. "I'm aware of that, Wright, but I see no other alternatives in this case. We'll deny all knowledge of the physical relationship indicated. I will also immediately begin proceedings against-!"

Phoenix shrugged. "Why?"

Edgeworth stopped mid-sentence, turned, and stared at him. "What? Why what?"

"You don't have to deny it," insisted Phoenix. "You're right, there's a certain amount of ethical gray area, here. We probably shouldn't argue against each other in court anymore, for a number of reasons, but I'm fine with that. As long as we're not on opposite sides of any one case, we're not risking any kind of injustice or unethical behavior. I'm sure you're not the first ever prosecutor to get involved with a defense lawyer. If we're careful and conscientious, then there's no issue."

Edgeworth seemed taken aback, and for a moment he apparently couldn't find anything to say. "But…Wright," he began eventually. "Yes, the ethical issues are a concern, of course, but…if we continue to allow this to go on unchecked, you will no longer be able to hide your…ah, preferences from the public."

"What, you mean, the fact that I date men?" Phoenix just shook his head. "I've never been that interested in hiding it, Edgeworth. I mean yeah, it's not something that I talk about in the workplace and frankly it's nobody's business but mine, but I'm not ashamed of it. I thought I made that pretty clear already."

"I…I see," muttered Edgeworth.

Phoenix took a deep breath, surprised and a little annoyed by how much he was letting Edgeworth's reaction hurt him. _  
_

"Look, we can play this however you want," he said. "If you want to deny it, then I'll go along with it, I guess, but…I want to remind you of what you said last night. You told me then that you weren't ashamed of our relationship, and if that's true, then there's no reason for us to pretend this isn't happening."

With that, he turned away, frustrated and doing his best not to lose his cool.

"Daddy," whispered Trucy hesitantly.

Edgeworth coughed. "It…did not occur to me that you would react like this, Wright," he said. "You're behaving irrationally."

_Yeah, well, _thought Phoenix, _man's an irrational animal, or whatever that saying is. Anyway, some of us don't suppress every strong emotion the way you do, Edgeworth. Some of us can't. _

"Daddy's right, you know," insisted Trucy staunchly from her seat at the kitchen table. "There's nothing wrong with caring about someone. If people can't understand that, then…well, then who cares about them? I don't."

_Thanks, Trucy, _thought Phoenix, _but it isn't that simple._

"You don't understand," muttered Edgeworth. "Trucy, your father's career might be adversely affected by public knowledge of his personal preferences. Clients might be inclined to look for counsel elsewhere. As a professional magician, you should be aware of the effect that negative publicity can have on an individual's livelihood. Attendance at your shows might very well decrease in response to the news about your father. This is the world that we live in. At times it is an ugly and unwelcoming one. Your father, as an attorney and a man of the law knows that better than most, I should think."

"Oh." Trucy sighed. "And…I guess that means you'd be in danger of losing your job as Chief Prosecutor, too. Right, Mr. Edgeworth?"

Edgeworth frowned. "No…no, I don't think so. It's true that I've been receiving some very unpleasant emails and letters ever since that disgusting tabloid first printed an article about me, but my career has not suffered in consequence, and as far as I know there is no discussion through any official channels of my being removed from the position. I don't appear to be in any danger, at the moment."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _Well, they actually seem pretty relaxed in your department. Years ago they let you prosecute even though half of them thought you were forging evidence, and the other half was convinced that you'd gotten away with murder. Apparently you'd have to do something really insane to get kicked out of the prosecutor's office in this district._

"Your father's situation and mine are not necessarily similar," continued Edgeworth. "My ability to do my job does not rest on frequency of commission. Wright, on the other hand, must be hired by a client. Naturally it is far more important that he protect his image and his reputation in order to encourage people to consider hiring him as their counsel."

Trucy nodded. "That...that makes sense, I think."

_Yeah, it does, _realized Phoenix miserably. _I wish it didn't, but it does. I guess you can always trust Edgeworth for that kind of common, logical analysis of the situation. Damnit. _

"So you see," finished Edgeworth. "For a number of extremely obvious reasons, this article cannot be allowed to-!"

"Stop," muttered Phoenix, suddenly slamming both fists down on the kitchen table. Trucy jumped, and Edgeworth fell silent, looking startled.

"Just stop," Phoenix repeated. "Please, stop being rational. I get it. I get what you're saying, but...I don't want to be logical about this anymore. I can't. It's not business, and it's not law. It's personal, and I can't detach from it and pretend I don't feel it. I do feel very strongly about it. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is."

_I'm not like you, _he thought, looking at Edgeworth. Edgeworth must have read the thought in his eyes, because he winced and looked away.

"Very well," muttered Edgeworth. "The choice is yours, Wright. I won't fight you, but I hope that neither of us live to regret this."

"Yeah," mumbled Phoenix. "Well...thanks."

The atmosphere in the kitchen was heavy, and all of the magic of early that morning seemed to be gone. Phoenix knew that he should probably say something here, at least to try and lighten the mood, but nothing came immediately to mind. Trucy shifted uncomfortably in her chair and fidgeted with her cell phone.

"The rain's not falling so hard anymore," she remarked, apparently for lack of anything else to say.

Phoenix glanced out the window and saw the rain was, in fact, slowing down quite a bit.

"Great," he said. "I'll go to the store and pick up some things. What do you want, Trucy? Toast? Cereal? Do we need more milk?"

"I...I think so, yeah," agreed Trucy quietly.

"Okay. No problem." Suddenly eager for some fresh air, Phoenix took a step towards the door.

Unexpectedly, Edgeworth grabbed Phoenix's hand and after only a moment's hesitation linked his own fingers through Phoenix's. When Phoenix turned to look at him, Edgeworth couldn't quite meet his eyes.

"If you don't mind," Edgeworth muttered, clearing his throat, "I'll go with you."

Phoenix smiled.

"Yeah," he said, a little relieved. "Sure. That sounds good."

**Fin. **

* * *

**Author's End Note: **

I've decided to turn this story into a series of stories. "To Turnabout Eternally" will be the title of the series itself, which means each story in the series will need its own title. Of course, that means that this story (the one you've been kind enough to read for sixteen chapters) will need its own new title.

Because I'm just the tiniest bit obsessive about the way I organize my stories and documents, I'll be going back and doing a little tweaking of page headings and titles to arrange for the new story format.

...is it weird that I"m very excited about this? Yes? Okay. Well, I'll just leave this here, then.


	18. At Last, My Turnabout - Seventeen

**Author's Note: **I'm backstage at a show, but I somehow just managed to finish this in time to get it out. Please forgive any typos that my arise. I'm sure they're there, but I can't correct them until the show's over. Your patience, as always, please. Thank you so much.

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen: Come What May**

**November 17, 2028**

**10:00 AM**

**The Wright Anything Agency**

Phoenix was sitting at his desk in his private office when he heard the new front doorbell ring. Instantly there were several pairs of footsteps in the hall as the three resident and extremely bored members of the Wright Anything Agency all rushed to be the first to reach and answer the door.

Phoenix smiled to himself. _Okay, so either we have a new client, or someone ordered pizza. Judging by how anxious they all sound to get to the door, I'm guessing it's pizza. I hope they save some for me…_

He listened as the door opened and then slammed shut again. Apollo said something that Phoenix couldn't quite make out, and a deep man's voice answered him.

_Not the pizza boy, then, _decided Phoenix, getting up and headed for the hallway. _Let's see what this is all about. I'm almost afraid to hope for a new client. It's been a very dull week, and the bank account's not looking so healthy. _

Out in the foyer he found Apollo, Athena and Trucy all clustered eagerly around a tall, muscular and slightly nervous looking man who was clutching an overstuffed black briefcase.

"….didn't do it, I tell you," the man was saying. "I'd never kill another human being. I'd never even kill a fly!" He tugged uncomfortably at his collar. "Still, it's not looking so good for me. Any second I'm expecting the police to show up at my door with handcuffs and whatever else they use to bring you down to the station these days. I'm innocent, I swear, but I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now everyone's sure that I'm the guilty guy. It's…it's crazy, but I know I'm gonna be arrested."

Athena and Trucy exchanged a quick, knowing look.

"Never fear," announced Trucy dramatically. "The Wright Anything Agency is here!"

"Yeah, don't sweat it, Mr. Carlisle," agreed Athena. "If the worst happens and the police do bring you in, you can count on us to defend you!"

_Whoa, _thought Phoenix. _Not so fast, guys. Let's actually hear a little more about the situation before we jump in feet first. _

"Excuse me," he announced, stepping forward and giving Mr. Carlisle a practiced, professional smile. "My name is Phoenix Wright. I'm the lead defense attorney for this agency. Would you mind telling us a little bit more about your situation? Oh, and please, have a seat."

He gestured at the sofa, and his three subordinates instantly backed up to give Mr. Carlisle space to move.

"Can I get you anything, sir?" Trucy turned halfway towards the kitchen. "Water? Soda? Cold, leftover noodles?"

Mr. Carlisle, however, was now staring at Phoenix with his mouth slightly open. "N-no thanks. Wait, um…Mr. Wright, was it? You're…I mean, uh…agh." He took a few steps away from Phoenix until he'd almost backed himself up into the doorway again.

"Daddy is pretty famous," said Trucy, grinning. "It's okay, though. He's actually really friendly in person. No need to be intimidated."

Phoenix, however, was watching the alarmed and slightly disgusted look on Mr. Carlisle's face. _I'm not so sure he's intimidated by my fame, Trucy, _he thought. _That's not what's going on here…_

"You're th-that guy," mumbled Mr. Carlisle confusedly. "The…the one on the internet."

"Shoot," muttered Athena.

"Let me guess," sighed Phoenix. "You're an avid reader of an online publication called 'The LA News of the Weird.' Am I right?"

Mr. Carlisle just mouthed wordlessly at him for a moment.

"Please," began Phoenix, taking a step forward and holding out a placatory hand. "There's no need to-!"

"Don't get any closer, you…you freak," shouted Mr. Carlisle, almost stumbling backwards over the front step in his haste to evade the hand. "Just get away from me, okay? I don't…I don't swing that way."

_Good, _thought Phoenix. _Because trust me, you're not my type. _

Trucy gasped. Athena growled something under her breath.

Apollo cleared his throat. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Carlisle," said Apollo in a perfectly level voice, "but I'm afraid that the Wright Anything Agency won't be interested in defending you. You'll have to take your request somewhere else."

"Yeah, because he probably did it," hissed Athena. Trucy nodded in emphatic agreement.

Phoenix turned and shot both women a quelling look before turning back to Apollo. "Don't be ridiculous, Apollo," he said as calmly as he could. "Of course we're still interested in hearing about Mr. Carlisle's problem. It looks as though you'll be taking the lead on this case, so if you want me, I'll be in my office. Don't hesitate to just barge in if you need anything."

Apollo frowned uncertainly at Mr. Carlisle, and then back at Phoenix. "But, Mr. Wright," he protested.

Phoenix put on the best, most convincingly confident smile he could muster, and gave Apollo an encouraging little clap on the shoulder. "We'll talk later," he assured him.

Then before any of the others could say a word, Phoenix turned on his heel and hurried back to his own office, shutting the door behind him and sinking back into his desk chair.

_That's the second time this week, _he thought miserably, burying his head in his hands. _Who would have thought it'd be like this, here, in California? I guess maybe I'd better start getting used to it._

There was a knock on Phoenix's office door, and it opened as he turned around in his chair. Athena stepped in, looking uncertain and definitely irritated.

"Boss," she asked. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Phoenix assured her. "Where's Mr. Carlisle?"

Athena bit her lip. "He, um…he's gone," she admitted. "He decided to 'take his business somewhere else,' I think is what he said. Not like it matters. Seriously, the nerve of that guy! Who wants his business anyway?"

_We do , unfortunately, _thought Phoenix. _He's__ the only potential client we've heard from in days. _

"I'm sorry," he muttered, shaking his head. "This is my fault."

Athena glared and jabbed an accusing finger at him. "Don't be sorry, Mr. Wright. It is NOT your fault! People are just stupid and ignorant! Anyway, what if he was guilty? He could have been. We can't be sure."

Phoenix just sighed, and wondered if there was anything in the fridge to eat besides five-day-old cold noodles. _I wonder if Apollo's being as forgiving as Athena is, right now, _he thought. _Stupid and ignorant or not, these people are our livelihood. Without them, we can't practice, and if we can't practice, we can't eat. None of the others signed on for this. I shouldn't have let it go this far without at least warning them what was probably coming, but honestly, I had no idea it was going to get this bad. Maybe I'm just too much of an optimist. No…no, I know that's not true. I guess in this case I just wasn't pessimistic enough. They say love does strange things to a person…_

"Grrr…" Athena slammed one fist into the palm of the other hand and shook her head." I've had enough of this, boss. I can't believe she'd do this to us!"

"Huh?" Phoenix glanced up at her. "Who are we talking about?"

Athena looked surprised. "What do you mean, who? Myriam! Myriam Scuttlebutt's horrible little website is the reason everything's getting so crazy…and I sort of thought that she and I were almost friends! I've been trying to call her through the number on the site, but she never picks up, and Junie says she doesn't have any other contact information. Doesn't matter. I'm going to track her down and make her give up this tabloid stuff, and I'm going to get an apology out of her while I'm at it!"

_I'd almost like to see you try, _thought Phoenix, imagining how terrifying a vengeful, self-righteous Athena would look descending on meek, measly little Myriam Scuttlebutt. _I think I'd enjoy that, actually._

"It doesn't matter anymore," he said aloud. "It's too late for her to take it back, now. We have to move forward. Maybe I'll take a few days of leave until this all calms down. It's been ages since I had a vacation. Could be…um, fun, I guess."

Phoenix hated the idea of sitting at home and staring out the window while the rest of his office worked hard to find clients and to get new cases underway, but at that moment he couldn't think of anything else to do. _At least if I'm out of the way, we won't have to face the kind of problem we had just now, _he reminded himself. _If my being on vacation means that the others can finally get some work done, then so be it._

"Boss," began Athena unhappily. "You don't have to do that."

Phoenix just shrugged. "Let me know if you have a better idea."

He settled back in his chair folded his hands behind his head, and wondered if he was better off going home now, surfing the internet for a while, or just taking a nap at his desk.

_I should consider myself lucky, _he thought. _Some guys would kill to have this kind of downtime. Gah. _

"Um, Mr. Wright," asked Athena hesitantly, "How's…how's Mr. Edgeworth doing? I mean, he's probably having a hard time with this too, right?"

Phoenix sat up instantly. "I have no idea,' he informed her quickly, "and whatever you do, Athena, you cannot tell him about this. Do you understand? Edgeworth doesn't need to know about our agency's business, and he shouldn't get involved. I don't want him to have anything to do with this, got it?"

Athena's mouth fell open in surprise, and Phoenix instantly regretted jumping down her throat like that.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I…I'm just a little on edge, I guess. I shouldn't have-!"

"It's okay, Mr. Wright." Athena was smiling a little sadly. "I understand. I won't say anything, I promise, But…you don't have to deal with this all by yourself, okay? You should talk to somebody. Maybe not Mr. Edgeworth, but…"

"Thanks, Athena." Phoenix tried to smile. "I appreciate the concern, honestly, but I'll be all right. I'm going to sort this out, I promise you."

Athena nodded. "I know it! I believe in you, boss! Don't you worry about us. Just like Apollo always says, we're fine!"

She held up an enthusiastic peace sign, then turned and left the office. Phoenix was sorry to see her go.

_Athena's always a breath of fresh air, _he thought. _I'm not sure how she stays so positive. Anyway, she's probably a good role model for Trucy, when she's not threatening to kill someone, which does happen sometimes. _

His cell phone beeped, and he pulled it out to see that his alarm was going off.

_Oh, _he realized. _Is it that time already? Well, guess I'd better get going, then…_

**Sometime later, at People Park…**

The park was festooned with pink streamers and wide, obviously homemade banners that said in huge white letters, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY WENDY."

"Huh," mused Maya, as she and Phoenix strolled into the park together. "I wonder if she made those all herself? I mean…I can't imagine anybody else would have done it. Does Ms. Oldbag actually have any friends?"

_That's a little harsh, _thought Phoenix, although he couldn't argue that Maya did have a point. He couldn't actually imagine anyone liking Ms. Wendy Oldbag, or enjoying her company for longer than a few seconds.

"Well," he reasoned, "there are a lot of people here, so she can't be that unpopular."

"Sure," countered Maya, "I guess, but couldn't these people maybe all just be random bystanders? Like, maybe they just showed up to play in the park and found themselves in the middle of a birthday party. That's one way to make sure you get a lot of guests, I guess. Actually, it's pretty smart."

_Not everyone here is a random park-goer, _thought Phoenix. _Look, that's Adrian Andrews over there, isn't it? I think that's Penny Nichols, only she's grown up a little bit, so I can't be sure…oh, and that's definitely Will Powers. Wow, haven't seen him in a while. He looks good. Uh, I mean, you know, he looks good for Will Powers, anyway._

"Oh!" Maya stopped and pointed. "Nick, there's Mr. Edgeworth!"

Phoenix turned and saw Edgeworth working his way towards them through the crowd. He certainly didn't look happy, which really wasn't surprising considering whose birthday party this was. Still, just seeing Edgeworth's black scowl made Phoenix feel a little better.

"Maya," mumbled Edgeworth, nodding as he caught up with them. "Wright. So glad you were able to make it. I was beginning to worry that you'd decided to abandon me here to my fate."

Before Edgeworth had a chance to stop him, Phoenix leaned over and kissed Edgeworth on the cheek. Edgeworth predictably turned pink and pulled instantly away, holding his hand to his cheek. Phoenix grinned.

All around them, people began murmuring, and a couple of people pointed. Phoenix tried to ignore them, and found that shutting them out wasn't as hard as it had once been.

_I'll get there, _he told himself. _I can get used to this. No big deal. _

"Wright," began Edgeworth under his breath, "I wish you'd at least make an effort to behave yourself in public."

Phoenix dismissed that with a sigh." Yeah, yeah, I know. Sorry. I just… you know…"

_I just needed that, _he thought, but decided not to say it out loud. _It's nice to see you. It's…been a long day. _

"You just…what?" Edgeworth frowned. "What is it?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, nothing," insisted Phoenix hurriedly. "Forget it."

"You look tired," remarked Edgeworth. "Something's wrong. What are you hiding?"

_Gah! _Phoenix waved both hands in frantic protest. "N-nothing! Nothing! I'm not hiding anything! What are you talking about? Why would I be hiding something?"

"For a defense attorney," Edgeworth informed him, raising a menacing eyebrow, "you are a remarkably bad liar, Wright."

_That's not fair, _thought Phoenix. _I'm probably a great liar. You just happen to be one of the district's best prosecutors. Come on, don't look at me like that! Trust me, you don't want to hear about my day. _

Luckily, Phoenix was saved from having to come up with a placatory response by none other than Ms. Wendy Oldbag herself, who chose that moment to break through the crowd and into their midst.

"Edgey-poooooo," she called, grinning horribly and batting her eyelashes . "Oh, you came, you came after all! You've made this girl so happy! What a wonderful birthday surprise!"

She reached for Edgeworth, presumably to embrace him, and Edgeworth immediately stepped out of harm's way and directly on to Phoenix's foot. Phoenix winced.

"Oh…and you're here, too." Apparently noticing Phoenix for the first time, Oldbag frowned and gave him a quick once-over. "Yes, I suppose you would be. After all, I'm an informed woman. I read the papers, and the tabloids, too. I always know what's going on in my part of town, and you've been a very popular topic of conversation lately. Oh, not that I listen to gossip, of course. I never pay any attention to gossip, but I think we can all agree that this has gone far beyond gossip. No, I can see with my own eyes that the alleged relationship between the two of you is nothing more than absolute fact. I knew it all along, of course. As soon as I read that article, I just knew it was true. After all, it just makes sense."

"My ears," muttered Edgeworth desperately as Oldbag began to ramble on. "I…I am helpless in the face of this conversational tirade. Wright, do something."

Phoenix shrugged. "What do you want me to do? This is her party. Even if it wasn't, you think I could stop her? It's never worked before."

"But you know, when you think about it," continued Oldbag, apparently more to herself than anyone else, "it isn't exactly fair. There just aren't enough attractive men in the world to go around, you two, so you shouldn't be hogging each other for yourselves, leaving us ladies lonely and bereft. Although, if you look at it a certain way, there's something exciting about it. Two attractive younger men in the midst of a hot, sordid, passionate affair, defying the odds and the laws of nature to satisfy their primal urges! Oh, yes, if you put it that way it's enough to get this romantic girl's heart racing! Mr. Defense Attorney!"

"Huh? What, me?" Phoenix blinked. "Y-yes?"

Oldbag was suddenly glaring at him, and Phoenix took a step back.

"You take excellent care of my Edgey-poo, do you understand me?" She sighed. "Oh, and when you're done with him, go ahead and send him back to me. I'll dry his tears and let him cry on my shoulder for as long as he needs to once you've broken his poor heart."

"Wha…what?" Phoenix just stared while Oldbag flashed them all a dramatic and almost disgustingly girlish smile before turning around and flouncing off to accost another group of partiers.

Edgeworth just looked confused and slightly alarmed.

"I have…essentially no idea what just happened," he mumbled. "There was, I believe, some discussion of broken hearts and potentially of shoulders."

"Yeah," sighed Phoenix. "Something like that. Probably for the best that I don't try to explain."

"I-if you say so." Edgeworth adjusted his cravat and took a deep breath. "Why did we come to this party?"

"Good question." Phoenix shrugged." Anyway, where'd Maya go? Oh, probably to the buffet table. Let's head over in that direction and see if we can find her. There are some other people around here too that I"d actually like to see before we go."

Edgeworth just nodded resignedly and let Phoenix lead him forward through the crowd.

**Fin.**

* * *

You asked for Wendy Oldbag, and you got her! She's...kind of an alter ego of mine, so I was happy to have the chance to write her.

Okay. Now I really need to get back to paying attention to the stage.


	19. At Last, My Turnabout - Eighteen

**Author's Note: **Due to my various simultaneous and consecutive theater jobs this weekend, I have not slept in around forty-eight hours.

I am going to do the best I can to write a chapter, but I'm not sure if I will be able to produce anything worth reading. Let's see how this goes.

We're getting into the darker parts of this story, so buckle your seatbelts and prepare for some uncomfortable and jarring content in the next few chapters.

On the plus side, though, we're going to have an investigation, and at least part of a trial! I love writing bits and pieces of trials, so hopefully that'll be fun for all of us!

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen: The Truth About Love – Part One**

**November 28, 2028**

**3:00 PM**

**The Detention Center**

A few days after Wendy Oldbag's birthday party, Phoenix was summoned to the detention center to meet a potential client.

When he got there, he found himself sitting across from a weary looking but composed young blond man in a faded white button-up shirt and a pair of khakis.

"You must be Mr. Phoenix Wright," said the blond man, nodding politely. "Thank you so much for coming. My name is Jim Fairchild, and I'm afraid that I'm badly in need of a lawyer."

Phoenix frowned. "Yes," he replied, "I got that from your phone call. Um…Mr. Fairchild, would you mind telling me a little bit about your situation? How did you get here, and what exactly are you being accused of?"

Mr. Fairchild sat back in his chair and took a short breath. "As I understand it," he explained, "I'm being accused of murdering a man named Tyler Rourke with a pocket switchblade knife at two AM this morning. They say there was a lot of blood."

_Well yeah, that happens with knife wounds, _thought Phoenix. _A switchblade again, huh? That seems to be the murder weapon of choice, this year. The styles come back around, I guess. _

"My fingerprints," added Mr. Fairchild, "were on the knife, of course."

_Of course. _Phoenix sighed. "And that's why you're being accused of the murder? Is there any other significant evidence that I should know about? Did you have a motive for killing this man?"

Mr. Fairchild shook his head. "No, I didn't. Of course, the police will claim otherwise. There's been…a misunderstanding."

Phoenix waited, but for a long few moments, Mr. Fairchild didn't say anything else. Instead, Mr. Fairchild examined his own hands resting in his lap, frowned, and then nodded once to himself before looking back up into Phoenix's eyes.

"Mr. Wright," he said, "I'd like to ask you something, if that's okay."

"Huh? Oh, uh, sure." Phoenix shrugged. "Anything. After all, I'm probably going to be your lawyer."

"Thank you." Mr. Fairchild paused for a moment, and then straightened up in his chair.

"What are your thoughts," he asked, "on homosexuality?"

_Wha…wait, WHAT? _ Phoenix's mouth fell open in surprise. "M-my thoughts? Uh, well, that's…that's sort of personal, isn't it? Is that…related to the case, somehow?"

Again, Mr. Fairchild nodded. "It is. Mr. Wright, I am an openly gay man, and have been so for several years. I am being accused of murdering another man because he allegedly refused my advances. Before we go any further with this, I need to know if that makes you uncomfortable. I hope this isn't offensive, but if I make you uncomfortable, then it probably isn't wise for me to use your services. It wouldn't end well."

Phoenix frowned. "Well, since you're asking, then no, you don't make me uncomfortable. But...actually, Mr. Fairchild, I think now it's my turn to ask you a question."

Mr. Fairchild just nodded.

"Why," asked Phoenix, "did you call me? I mean, what made you pick me to be your defense attorney?"

That question seemed to surprise Mr. Fairchild, who wrinkled his brow and shrugged. "As I understand it, you're one of the best. You're a well-known, competent and experienced defense attorney. I've heard your name many times, in connection with a lot of big cases that make the news. Isn't that the reason that most people ask you to defend them?"

_Well, yeah, _thought Phoenix. _I guess so. That, and also Trucy's full-color flyers up at the Wonder Bar. Still, this is…sort of a strange coincidence._

"So," continued Phoenix, "then this has nothing to do with 'LA News of the Weird,' right?"

Mr. Fairchild just looked confused. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand the question."

"Uh…it's a website," Phoenix explained. "Sort of an online tabloid full of questionable 'news' articles. Do you read it?"

He had to admit to himself that Mr. Fairchild certainly didn't seem like the type who'd waste his time on tabloids.

Mr. Fairchild just shook his head. "I don't think I've ever heard of it," he said. "Why?"

_Oh, good, _thought Phoenix, a little relieved. _So, maybe it really is a coincidence. _

"No reason," he insisted. "Nevermind. Um…why don't you tell me a little more about this case?"

Still looking a little puzzled, Mr. Fairchild shrugged and began his story.

"Every night," he told Phoenix, "I walk home from work around two o'clock AM. I'm a waiter at a twenty-four hour restaurant called 'The Black Frog,' and my shift lasts from nine o'clock PM until one-forty-five AM. On my way home, I pass by a club which caters to clandestine encounters between gay men. It's called 'The Back Door."

Phoenix winced.

"Yes," agreed Mr. Fairchild, smiling wryly. "I don't love the name either. At any rate, the man who was killed, Mr. Rourke, was a patron of that club. Another patron seems to have found the body only a few minutes after I left the scene."

"And you," asked Phoenix. "Were you a patron of that club?"

This time, Mr. Fairchild made a face. "No," he insisted. "I've never been inside. My partner and I aren't interested in places like that."

_Oh, _thought Phoenix. _So he's seeing somebody. Yeah, I guess that would make it kind of strange for him to visit that club. Not impossible, but…less likely, assuming he's telling the truth._

"I did, however, know the victim," continued Mr. Fairchild. "We used to be co-workers before he quit his job at my restaurant a few months ago."

"And," asked Phoenix hesitantly, "did you, in fact, make, uh, 'advances' on the victim?"

Mr. Fairchild's eyes narrowed

"Hey, I have to ask," said Phoenix quickly. "It's what they're using as your motive for murder. Sorry if it's not a nice question, but this is important."

Mr. Fairchild looked annoyed, then sighed, and shook his head. "Not recently, no," he said. "I did ask him out once when we first began working together, but he was…emphatically opposed to the idea. I didn't bring it up again."

Mr. Fairchild fell silent, and Phoenix began thinking fast.

_Honestly, he doesn't seem like the murderous type, _he told himself. _That doesn't really mean anything, of course, but there's something about him. He's…well, I can't exactly imagine him committing a crime of passion like the one he's describing, and if what he's saying is true then he doesn't seem to have any reason to get involved with that club or its members. Seems like this is honestly a case of wrong place, wrong time. I think I believe him. _

Okay," announced Phoenix, "thank you for calling me in. and for trusting me with your case. I'll be happy to defend you in court tomorrow. I won't make you any promises about a not guilty verdict. Honestly, we don't have as much time as I"d like, and that's going to work against us. All I can say is that I'll do the very best I can to get you acquitted."

Mr. Fairchild breathed out a long sigh of relief, and gave Phoenix the first unguarded smile he'd risked since Phoenix had arrived.

"Thank you," he said. "I…thank you so much. I know I can rely on you. I was…well, honestly I was pretty sure you'd say no."

_I can't say I love this case, _thought Phoenix. _It's not exactly going to help me distance myself from that tabloid article, but I'm almost positive that this man didn't murder anyone. Now I just have to figure out how to prove it._

"If you don't mind," suggested Phoenix, "I'm going to bring one of my subordinates in to help me with your defense. She's bright and very talented, and I think you'll like her. She's also trained in analytic psychology, which I think might end up proving very useful, here."

Mr. Fairchild just nodded. "Of course. Whatever you think is best."

Phoenix left the detention center uncertain if he should be glad or not.

_Finally, _he thought, _a case! Athena's going to be thrilled. Still…why do I get the feeling that this isn't going to be an easy one? I never, ever get the easy ones…_

**That evening, outside "The Back Door…"**

The streets around "The Back Door" were pretty much deserted. Phoenix felt a little chill run down his spine as he and Athena walked up to the nondescript and unmarked little concrete box that served, apparently, as an exclusive and clandestine men's nightclub.

"I don't like this place," mumbled Athena, squeezing a little closer to Phoenix. "There's something weird about the atmosphere, here. It's creeping me out."

_No kidding, _thought Phoenix. _All of the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up. Let's just get this over with. _

A few blocks of pavement just in front of the club's entrance were cordoned off with police tape, and there was a string outline on the ground where the body had apparently fallen.

"Why do they do that?" Athena frowned. "Wouldn't it be easier to just take a photograph?"

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix." They do that, too. Actually, I'm not sure why we're still doing the body outline. It seems sort of…outdated."

"Uh huh." Athena nodded. "A-anyway. I don't see the murder weapon anywhere, so I guess the police probably picked it up already, right?"

_That's probably what happened, yeah, _thought Phoenix. _Mr. Fairchild said that his fingerprints were on the weapon, but he claimed not to know why. I don't understand how that can be. Maybe if he'd passed out when he saw the body, or something, then we could claim that his prints had been planted, but…as it stands, I can't figure out how they got there, unless he'd held the knife at some point in the very recent past. You'd think he would have told me if that had happened. I need to ask him more about that in the morning. Maybe he'll remember something by then._

Suddenly, Athena glanced over her shoulder and pointed. "Mr. Wright," she hissed, "Look. Someone's here!"

Phoenix turned around to find a middle-aged man with salt-and pepper temples and wearing a brown suit standing in front of the club's imposing door.

"Um, sorry," said Phoenix, walking over to him. "I think it's closed. This is a murder scene, now, so…"

"H-huh? Oh!" The man's mouth dropped open, and he backed hurriedly away from Phoenix. "I...I…I see. Are you, um, with the police, then?"

"Nope." Athena shook her head. "We're lawyers! I'm Athena Cykes, and this is Mr. Phoenix Wright! We're Jim Fairchild's defense team."

"Fairchild…Fairchild…?" The man in the suit frowned agitatedly. "Was…was he the killer, then?"

Phoenix cleared his throat. "He's been accused of the murder, at least. I take it you didn't know him?"

"N-never heard of him," insisted the man in the suit.

_This guy's so neurotic that it's making me nervous, _thought Phoenix. _Why does he keep looking at me like that? I won't bite. _

"Um," asked Athena, "Did you know the victim, Tyler Rourke? He used to come here a lot, apparently. Ooh, or maybe you saw something the night of the murder! You didn't see anything, did you?"

That seemed to upset the neurotic suit man even more. "N-n-n-no! I didn't see anything! I didn't hear anything, either! I…I wasn't even here when the murder happened. I wasn't anywhere near here! I don't…don't come here often, exactly. Not…not a lot. Not really."

Phoenix sighed. _This is getting nowhere. This guy isn't going to be any help. Sorry, Athena. Nice effort, though. _

The suited man swallowed hard. "I…I…I only saw the scene of the crime this morning, after everything was already over. I…I was going to work, and I had to walk by here, and…and there was this…this outline!" He shivered. "An outline, and…and that knife!"

"What?" Phoenix blinked. "Wait, you saw the knife?"

The man nodded uncomfortably. "Yes sir, yes…I did. I didn't know what it was doing out there, so I, um, I…I um went and looked at it. I thought maybe he'd dropped it. The-the-the manager, I mean. I thought maybe he'd dropped the knife, so I thought…I mean…I thought I'd pick it up for him, but…but a police officer stopped me and told me it was, um…a w-weapon."

_The manager? _Phoenix and Athena shared an excited look.

"Excuse me, sir," began Athena, as gently as she could. "But, what's your name?"

The man in the suit looked horrified. "My name? My name…? Why do you want to know my..?"

"Oh, no reason," insisted Athena quickly, giving the man one of her most charming and disarming smiles. "I'm just being friendly, that's all! You're being so helpful, and I really appreciate it."

Athena kept smiling, but the man in the suit just looked more and more confused.

_Athena, _thought Phoenix, _something tells me that isn't going to work on him. Not this guy. _

"You said that you thought the manager might have dropped that knife," said Phoenix. "Why did you think that? Did the knife belong to the manager of this club? Had you seen it before?"

"Y-yes, I think so," mumbled the man. "It's always at the bar. It…it has a bottle opener on it. I…I've seen the manager put it in his pocket. I think…I think it's his. I think so."

Both of Athena's hands flew to her mouth in excitement, but Phoenix shot her a quelling look, and gently cleared his throat.

"Sir," he told the man as carefully as he could. "What you've just told us is very valuable information. It might be very useful to us in court tomorrow. Would you be willing to sign a statement, explaining that you recognized the knife as potentially belonging to the manager of this club?"

"You won't even have to write anything," added Athena, still smiling. "We'll do all the hard stuff for you! All you have to do is sign it. See? Easy!"

The man in the suit's eyes almost bulged out of his head, and he held up both hands in front of him in frantic protest. "S-s-s-sign? Sign? You mean, with my name?"

_Well, yeah, _thought Phoenix. _That's usually what it means to sign something. _

"I-I can't!" Now the man was starting to sound truly panicked. "How can I? I…in court, everyone would know. Everyone would know my name, and that I was…that I was here, at this place. You can't…you can't possibly expect me to…"

"Oh, no, no one will think that," Athena reassured him hastily. "Sir, you told us you were just passing through on your way back from work, right? I'm sure everyone will understand that! They will, won't they, Mr. Wright?"

She turned and gave Phoenix a significant look.

"Right," agreed Phoenix. "Sure. Of course they will. Just like we do." _Uh, or not. _

The man in the suit, however, didn't look even remotely convinced. "I'm so sorry," he whispered his face getting paler and paler as he spoke "I just can't. No, I won't. Please…please forgive me, but I have to get going. I…I need to go home, now."

With one last terrified look at the police tape and then back a the door to the club, the man in the suit darted away down the street, running awkwardly like someone who wasn't used to the exercise.

Athena blew out a frustrated sigh. "Oh, man," she muttered, snapping her fingers. "And we were so close, too. Mr. Wright, what are we going to do, now?"

"I'm not sure," said Phoenix, shaking his head. "We don't have anything that we can exactly call evidence, and the trial's first thing in the morning. It's going to be another close shave."

Athena's shoulders slumped. "Yeah…looks like it."

They started back together down the street towards the Wright Anything Agency offices.

"It doesn't look like anyone is going to be too eager to admit that they were patrons here," mused Phoenix as they walked. "There's some hope there, at least. If we're lucky, the prosecution won't be able to find anyone willing to be a witness. That could work in our favor."

"Oh, right." Athena perked up a little bit. "That's true! Wait, do we know who's prosecuting tomorrow?"

Phoenix frowned. "No," he said." No idea."

_There is one thing I can be sure of, though, _he thought while they waited at the crosswalk for traffic to ebb. _Whoever's at the prosecution's bench tomorrow, it definitely won't be Edgeworth._

Phoenix couldn't decide if he was relieved or disappointed.

_A bit of both, actually, _he decided.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **So, Edgeworth didn't appear in this chapter AT ALL. That was super disappointing for me, but it had to happen. Phoenix does have to have a life outside of Edgeworth every now and then.

I'll make sure to include some good juicy Edgeworth scenes for you in the next couple of chapters to make up for it.  
I promise!


	20. At Last, My Turnabout - Nineteen

**Author's Note: **Update: I'm so exhausted that the world is no longer making any basic semblance of sense.

Typos are going to happen. I'm so sorry. So very, very sorry.

Also, I wish I'd chosen a different name for this club. Every time I type it, I cringe a little bit. I mean, that's sort of the effect I was going for, but…yeah.

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: The Truth About Love – Part Two**

**November 29, 2028**

**3:00 PM**

**Outside "The Back Door"**

That morning's trial didn't exactly go as well as Phoenix had hoped.

_Then again, _he reminded himself, _it could have been worse._

As it turned out, Prosecutor Gavin had been assigned to the trial, and Phoenix had to admit to himself that he didn't actually dislike Gavin. Actually, as prosecutors went, Klavier Gavin wasn't so bad. He was a bit ridiculous with that affected little habit of throwing German words into the conversation every few minutes, despite the fact that Phoenix suspected Gavin of not, in fact, being German at all. Still, Gavin was a decent man with a strong sense of justice, and he'd done his best to handle the tricky social and political issues raised at the trial with as much discreet decorum as a former rock god could manage. Overall, he hadn't been too unpleasant to deal with.

The case itself, on the other hand, had been a nightmare. Detective Ema Skye had testified that the fingerprints on the switchblade belonged absolutely and without question to the defendant, Mr. Jim Fairchild. What was worse, no one else's fingerprints had been found on the knife. Phoenix had, of course, told the court about the man in the suit that he and Athena had met outside the club, and he'd tried to claim that the knife had belonged to the club's manager, but he didn't have a shred of evidence to back that up and so the argument very quickly went nowhere at all.

Unfortunately for the police department, it had also struggled with its investigation. As Phoenix had expected, not a single person admitted to having seen or been anywhere near the crime scene, and after Detective Skye had finished testifying about the weapon and the body, no other witnesses were called. The trial had stalled, and the judge, clearly disappointed and slightly bored, had demanded that the court reconvene the following day after both the prosecution and the defense had been given further time to investigate.

Subsequently, Jim Fairchild had been carted back off to the detention center. Athena had headed to Mr. Fairchild's place of work, the restaurant called "The Black Frog," in hopes of learning more about his relationship to the victim. Phoenix therefore found himself alone on the sidewalk outside "The Back Door," in desperate hopes of finding something, anything at the crime scene that might prove useful.

_If only I had some kind of lead, _he thought. _So far the only real evidence in this case is the knife, and if the judge has to give a verdict based on those facts alone then we're in serious trouble. There has to be something that I'm overlooking, or that I haven't thought of. Gah. It would be a lot easier if somebody, anybody around here would at least talk to me!_

He'd tried to get in touch with the manager of the club, but as it turned out, the manager operated under an alias. Whatever he did during the day, he did under a completely different name, and Phoenix hadn't had any luck tracking him down.

_Last week, _he thought, _I told Athena that I might have to take a vacation. Why didn't I take a vacation? It wasn't that bad an idea. I wish I'd followed through with it. If I'd done that, I wouldn't be in this mess now. Then again, if I wasn't here, then Mr. Fairchild wouldn't have a prayer. _

Footsteps sounded on the pavement behind him, and Phoenix spun around to find Miles Edgeworth striding across the street towards the crime scene.

"Wright," he said. "I thought you might be here."

_Gack, _thought Phoenix, suddenly and uncomfortably aware that his new lover had just caught him standing outside a notoriously seedy sex club. "Uh, Edgeworth. Haha…this…this isn't what it looks like. I can explain this. Um…"

Edgeworth's eyes narrowed. "What? What nonsense. Don't flatter yourself, Wright. I'm not that irrationally jealous, not even of you. You're obviously here to investigate the murder of Tyler Rourke."

Phoenix breathed out a short sigh of relief. _R-right. Of course he'd know about that. What was I thinking? Get it together, Phoenix. _

"The trial this morning was…disappointing, to say the least," muttered Edgeworth. "Hardly conclusive in either direction."

Phoenix nodded glumly. "Oh, you saw it?"

"Yes," replied Edgeworth. "I was watching. I had hoped to catch you on your way out, but we seem to have missed each other. There was something I wanted to discuss with you."

Honestly relieved by any distraction from the investigation at hand, Phoenix gave Edgeworth his full attention. "Sure. What's up?"

For a moment, Edgeworth frowned past Phoenix at the bright yellow police tape swaying gently in the evening breeze.

"Wright," he asked seriously, "do you honestly think that you have any hope of winning this case? I don't mean any offense, but the odds are strongly against you. Almost unusually so."

Phoenix just shrugged. _Honestly, I'm not sure, _he thought. _Yeah, I have to admit that it looks bad, right now, and I'm not seeing any way out of this, but…I can't give up. Jim Fairchild is innocent of this murder. I have to find a way to prove that, one way or another. _

"Yes," he said aloud. "I think I can do it."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "You think you can," he countered, "Or you feel that you must? Those two sentiments aren't the same."

"Doesn't matter," muttered Phoenix. "I have to do it. I have to get him acquitted. That's my job as his lawyer. I can't just give up."

"And I'm not suggesting that you should," replied Edgeworth quietly. "Wright…I have some concerns about this case." He frowned, then cleared his throat uncomfortably. "You…may be slightly too close to this situation to maintain a truly objective viewpoint."

"I don't have to stay objective," said Phoenix. "As my client's advocate I'm supposed to be biased in his favor. That's actually what the word 'advocate' means."

"Again," sighed Edgeworth, "you don't understand. I'm not concerned about your ability to professionally defend this case."

Phoenix ran both hands through his hair, and tried to remember how many hours of sleep he'd gotten the night before. "Okay, no," he agreed. "I don't understand. What exactly are you trying to say?"

It took a moment before Edgeworth was apparently ready to answer that question. He crossed his arms over his chest, coughed and then said uncertainly, "I'm…as a matter of fact, Wright, I'm worried about you. Rather, I'm worried about the effect that a case of this nature might be having on your mental state."

Phoenix wasn't entirely sure what that meant. _Wow, _he thought. _Do I really look that bad? Must be the dark circles, or the fact that I didn't have time to brush my hair this morning. _

"Um…thank you, I think," he said. "I'm fine, though. I'm just a little tired. It was a late night, last night, and-!"

"Tell me," demanded Edgeworth abruptly. "What prompted you to take this case?"

"Huh?" Phoenix blinked. "Well, I, uh…"

_I took it because it's the only case I've been offered in weeks,_ he thought._ I took it because we need the money, and…well, for other reasons, too. For lots of reasons, actually. I had to take this case. It's important, because..._

"I meant what I said before," insisted Phoenix. "I believe in Mr. Fairchild's innocence. I have a duty to him and to the law to assure that no innocent man is convicted of a crime he didn't commit, obviously."

"And," insisted Edgeworth, "what makes you so certain of his innocence? What about him or about his circumstances attracts your faith?"

Again, Phoenix had no reasonable response. _Um, when you put it like that, I guess it's more of a gut feeling, _he thought. _I can't exactly put my finger on why, but…trust me when I say that I know what I'm talking about. He's not a killer. I'm sure of it. _

Edgeworth sighed. "It's obvious, Wright. You must know it already. This case appeals to you because it's familiar. It reminds you of your own situation. As of very recently, you are a homosexual man struggling to tread water in an unwelcoming world, and so, it appears, is Mr. Jim Fairchild."

Phoenix winced. _That...might have something to do with it, yes. _

"Well?" Edgeworth raised an eyebrow at him. "You aren't denying it."

Phoenix just shrugged. "Nothing to deny, I guess. Yeah, maybe I relate to the guy a little. That doesn't change the facts of the case. Like I said, personal feelings aside, he's an innocent man. I can't explain to you how I know, but I know. It's not up for debate...uh, at the moment, anyway."

"Be that as it may," muttered Edgeworth, "I think it's unwise for you to continue to defend this man."

"What?" Phoenix just stared. "What are you talking about? If he's innocent, then-!"

"I'm not saying that he shouldn't have a competent defense," Edgeworth interrupted, shaking his head. "Innocent or guilty, he deserves a fair trial. That being said, you may not be the best person to serve as his advocate. You're too involved, Wright. You aren't able to be objective. You've already adopted this man's cause as your own. You've assigned yourself a connection with him. That's unwise on a number of levels, and I think you know that already."

"I don't think so," muttered Phoenix defiantly. "I...of course I connect with him. Mia always said that it's important to create a bond of trust with a client."

"This," countered Edgeworth sternly, "goes beyond a mere 'bond of trust.' You see yourself in this man. His struggle has become your struggle. You want to see him succeed in proving to the world that his way of life is acceptable, because it would mean that yours is equally acceptable. Alternatively, when you lose this case, as I fear you must, you'll feel that society's rejection of his lifestyle will be equally a rejection of your own."

Phoenix couldn't think of anything to say. _I want to deny it, _he thought. _I want to, but I can't. He's right. I want...no, I NEED to win this case. I need it for Mr. Fairchild, and I need it for me. I need to know that it's possible for a gay man to be an innocent man. I want to prove it to everyone...and to Edgeworth, too. Maybe I want to prove it to him most of all._

Edgeworth was still watching him intently. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yeah," mumbled Phoenix. "Sure, I do. But it doesn't matter. I can't walk away, now. I wouldn't if I could."

Somewhere nearby, a car horn honked, and then tires screeched as someone wheeled full-tilt around a tight corner. Edgeworth let out a long, frustrated breath.

"When society condemns this man for choosing to love unwisely and indiscreetly," he said quietly, "understand that it will not mean that society is condemning you."

_You're wrong, _thought Phoenix. _It will mean that. It already does. _

"You know," said Phoenix aloud, "you have a funny way of showing that you care. Do I get a condescending, socio-political lecture every time you start 'worrying' about me?"

Edgeworth frowned. "My apologies. I'm...not very good at this. All I meant to say was that I do, ah, care. Very much, in fact. I loathe the idea of you allowing this to hurt you, and yet...I suppose I knew that I wouldn't be able to talk you out of it. You're terrifically stubborn at times, to a significant fault. I...I can never decide if I admire that about you, or detest it. The truth probably lies somewhere in between."

Phoenix suddenly found that he was more exhausted and emotionally drained than he'd realized. Something about the disturbingly blunt reality of Edgeworth's argument had sapped the last bit of positive energy that Phoenix had been clinging to. He sagged with fatigue, and on a perversely affectionate whim he rested his head against Edgeworth's shoulder. After a moment's startled hesitation, Edgeworth carefully folded his arms around Phoenix and held him against his chest. Phoenix thought he could feel Edgeworth's arms trembling ever so slightly around him, and he smiled to himself as, with almost overcautious gentleness Edgeworth pressed his lips into the spikes of Phoenix's hair.

"Sorry," mumbled Phoenix. "We're in public, I know."

"N-no. " Edgeworth coughed. "Ah…it's fine. I don't mind."

They stood there like that for a long moment, while Phoenix took a few deep breaths and tried to refocus himself. Edgeworth was warm, if a little stiff, and Phoenix felt just a bit more relaxed and less frantic in the embrace.

"Wright," muttered Edgeworth eventually. "This would be a terrible place to have our picture taken."

_Oh right, _realized Phoenix. _Myriam Scuttlebutt's got some kind of camera around this place somewhere, doesn't she? I almost forgot. _

He sighed, and slowly disentangled himself from Edgeworth. "Yeah," he agreed miserably. "You're right; that's the last thing we need at the moment."

**Later that evening, in the Wright Family Apartment...**

Phoenix and Edgeworth eventually went their separate ways, and Phoenix reluctantly returned to his own apartment. The light was on in Trucy's bedroom, and Phoenix hoped that she was studying for the big math test that sh'ed have at the end of the week.

Trying to shake off the unpleasant, foreboding feeling that had been with him ever since the end of that morning's trial, Phoenix sat down at his computer and opened up his email. As usual, he had tons of spam, mostly from websites claiming that he'd ended up on their mailing lists after purchasing something that he didn't remember ever buying.

He also had an email from Larry Butz, entitled "SEXY HONYMOON SHOTS." At first he thought about deleting it, but when he did end up cautiously opening it he found that it contained a large number of beautiful photographs taken of Larry and his amazingly gorgeous wife Jelanda at the beach. They looked like they were having a very nice time. Phoenix was just a little jealous.

_Actually, _he decided, _when this is all over, I think I really will take that vacation. Trucy and I'll tap into the savings account and go somewhere nice, with an amusement park that she'd like, and maybe a beach, or at least some water to play in. We can say it's a surprise reward for not failing her math test. _

Idly, Phoenix wondered if Edgeworth like the beach. He grinned to himself as he imagined Edgeworth and Trucy building a sandcastle together, while Edgeworth scowled and complained bitterly about the sand in the crevices of his unnecessarily ruffly swimsuit.

Phoenix was still lost in the middle of that delightful and disturbing daydream when he noticed an email from someone called "THETRUEDEFENSE."

H_uh, _he thought. _Probably just more spam. I sure do get a lot of it..._

When he opened the email, however, it contained only a very simple message, written entirely in capital letters. The message read;

THE GUILTY SHOULD BE PUNISHED

SOME CRIMES ARE AGAINST NATURE

MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION

OR ELSE

There was no signature. Phoenix read the cryptic message over and over again, horrible little chills running down his spine as he realized that this was what people usually referred to as "hate mail."

_Edgeworth said that he started getting this kind of stuff too, _he thought, _after that first article about his 'lover' was published in the 'LA News of the Weird.' I don't get it, though. What does it mean, 'make the right decision?' Is whoever sent this talking about the trial, tomorrow? But I don't make that decision. The judge decides the trial's outcome, not me._

The window of his room was open, and Phoenix could hear the sounds of the nightlife outside. Suddenly feeling sick and panicky, he rushed over to the window, closed it, and locked it. Then he went out into the hall and knocked on the door of Trucy's room.

After a moment, she came and opened it.

"Daddy?" Trucy frowned. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Phoenix did his best to smile, but his face felt strange, stiff, and awkward. "Uh, n-no," he insisted. "It's nothing. I'm just tired."

Trucy frowned, obviously not quite believing him. "Are...you sure?"

_Yes, _thought Phoenix. _Yes, I'm very, very tired of all of this. More than you could imagine._"Trucy," he demanded, "when's your next show at the Wonder Bar?"

"It's next week," said Trucy instantly. "Wednesday of next week, actually. Why?"

_Great. _Phoenix nodded. "Oh, no reason. It's just, um...I'd...feel a little better if you came straight home after school tomorrow. Straight home, okay? No, no, actually, why don't you come to my office, instead? We'll walk home together. We can even get some dinner on the way back, as a special treat. How does that sound?"

Again he tried to smile, but he could feel the sweat crawling down the back of his neck, and Trucy was now staring at him in genuine alarm.

"Daddy," she asked, "What's going on?"

_I don't know. _Phoenix shoved both hands in his pockets, and tried to force himself to calm down. "I'm not sure," he admitted." But...listen to me, Trucy, and I'm serious about this. I don't want you going out late at night for the next few days. I try not to ask for a lot from you, and I know that you're old enough to make your own decisions, but I need you to do this for me. Call me when you're done with school, and come straight to my office until we decide otherwise. Can you do that for me? Please?"

Trucy opened her mouth to protest, then closed it, swallowed, and just nodded. "I...I can do that. I promise."

"Okay. Good. Thank you," mumbled Phoenix.

Trucy fidgeted with the lining of her cloak. "I'm...kinda scared," she told him. "You look scared, and that's...um, that's really scary. Everything's going to be okay, right?"

Phoenix reached out and gave her a quick, comforting little squeeze. Then he turned, strode over to her window, and checked to make sure that it was firmly locked.

"Yes," he assured her. "Everything's going to be fine. I'm just getting old and being overprotective, that's all. There's probably nothing to worry about."

"Probably?" Trucy raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, 'probably?'"

"Just...go back to your work, and, uh...let me handle it," muttered Phoenix. "Like I said, everything's going to be fine."

He kissed her on the cheek, but she didn't smile. Instead she just turned and watched in silence as Phoenix stumbled back out of the room and closed the door behind him.

He stood for a moment with his back up against the door, listening to the sound of Trucy's music getting louder as she turned the volume up and, hopefully, went back to studying.

_The email said, OR ELSE, _he thought. _It's...that probably doesn't mean anything. I really am just making myself crazy over some stupid prank...right?_

**Fin. **

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

So, when I said dark, I meant dark, although I'll do my best not to write anything ridiculously, horribly melodramatic for you.

As always, I'd love to hear what you think of the last couple of chapters. I'm a little out of my depth with what I've been writing, lately. This isn't my usual stuff at all.

Oh, oh, and here's somethign truly amazing! **crimsonfire3** was kind enough to draw a fantastic and brilliant fanart for this story!

You can find **crimsonfire3** at this tumblr address:

.com

The wonderful fanart is now the cover art for this fic! Please do go check it out!


	21. At Last, My Turnabout - Twenty

**Author's Note: **This story has turned into a MONSTER.

This was supposed to be ONE SINGLE CHAPTER, and instead, "The Truth About Love" episode has become FIVE chapters. I'm not even sure what to say about this. I can't seem stop writing when I start. Luckily, I have most of today and most of tomorrow off from work, so I can spend that time updating, cleaning my room and handling the Persona 4 one-shots that I've been promising to finish for a while.

Thank you for being so patient with my long-windedness.

As always, please do let me know what you think. Your comments and critiques both encourage me and help me stay on task.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty: The Truth About Love – Part Three**

**November 30, 2028**

**2:00 PM**

**Courtroom No. 9**

Due to an unexplained and unexpected conflict on the part of the judge, the next day's trial was postponed until one o'clock in the afternoon. For almost the entire first hour, Phoenix and Klavier Gavin debated the question of the fingerprints on the switchblade knife, although neither of them seemed to be making any particularly convincing headway.

At around two o'clock, just when it was starting to look as though the trial would have to be prolonged for yet another day, the bailiff scurried over and whispered something in Gavin's ear. He looked surprised and then exceedingly pleased.

_Uh oh, _thought Phoenix. _What's happening? Gavin suddenly looks like a kid on Christmas morning. That can't be good. _

"Achtung, Your Honor," announced Gavin, grinning from ear to ear. "The bailiff just told me that the prosecution's star witness is in the building. Now we can finally get this show on the road, ja?"

Athena gasped. Phoenix sighed.

_Yep, _he thought. _Definitely not good._

There was a shuffling in the back of the courtroom, and then a police officer led a white-faced and horror-stricken middle-aged man to the stand. He was dressed in an ill-fittting brown suit and had salt-and-pepper patches of hair at his temples.

"Oh," whispered Athena. "Mr. Wright, looks like they found him after all."

_Yeah, _agreed Phoenix. _Jeez, look at this poor guy. What are they expecting to do with him? Is he even going to be able to testify? He looks like he'd pass out if either of us tried asking him a question. _

"Herr Witness," announced Gavin grandly, turning his attention back to the stand. "Please, if you'd be so kind as to state your name for the court."

"I…I…I…uhhhhm…." The man in the brown suit grabbed so hard at the lip of the stand that his knuckles started to turn white, and if anything he only shook more aggressively. "I'm…! Th-th-that is, m-m-my name is…"

_Oh boy, _thought Phoenix wearily.

"This," whispered Athena, "might take a little while, boss."

Gavin, however, seemed totally unfazed. Shrugging, he flashed the witness one of his most dazzlingly confident smiles. "Herr Witness," he assured him, "have no fear, ja? Remember what we discussed. Here, there's nothing to be afraid of."

The witness, just began chewing unhappily on his large lower lip, looking like he was about to burst into tears. After a long silence, he finally cleared his throat and begin speaking in a squeaky, quivery little voice.

"M-m-my name," he managed, "is Tolliver T. Mause. I'm a c-c-customer service agent at the bank. N-night shift."

He stopped, looking startled at himself for having gotten that far. Gavin nodded encouragingly.

"Vunderbar," he said. "And now, Herr Mause, would you please tell us, very simply, exactly what you saw on your way home from your undoubtedly respectable job on the morning of November 28th?"

Athena was frowning. "The other day," she reminded Phoenix, "he told us that he hadn't witnessed anything at all! Remember what he said, boss? He said that he'd just seen the weapon lying on the ground after the police had already gotten to the scene! He didn't even know it was a murder until one of the officers stopped him from picking up the knife!"

"Right," Phoenix agreed. "Something tells me, though, that he's about to change his tune. Either he was lying, then, which you have to admit is possible, or-!"

"Please, Herr. Mause," insisted Gavin smoothly. "This court and the fate of the defendant rest entirely on your word. Herr Mause, at this moment, that stand is your stage. You are the most important person in this room. We await your one-time-only, sold-out solo performance as headlining witness. Lights…camera…ACHTUNG!"

Dramatically, Gavin stabbed a finger at Mr. Mause, who reared back in surprise, and then began speaking rapidly, never taking his eyes off Gavin's face.

"O-on the morning of the m-m-murder," he began, "I was walking home from w-work as I always do. There's a c-c-c-club or something on my way home, but I don't know…um, what it's called. As I passed by that club, I saw a man, the, um, th-th-the defendant over there. He was holding a switchblade knife at the th-th-throat of another man."

Mr. Mause swallowed, shot Phoenix and Athena a panicky look, and then took a shallow breath.

"I was s-scared," he mumbled confusedly. "So scared, so…I went home. Th-that's all."

He fell silent, cringed, and suddenly didn't seem to be able to look anyone in the eye. The gallery erupted with murmurs and hisses of disapproval, and the judge had to bang his gavel several times for order.

"Order," he demanded. "I will have order in this courtroom! Even if the witness is, in fact, a cowardly, worthless mouse of a man, that is no excuse for this ridiculous uproar!"

"Sheesh," whispered Athena. "Isn't the judge laying it on a little thick?"

Phoenix just shrugged. _Well, he has a point, _he thought. _Assuming Mr. Mause is telling the truth, that is._

"Your Honor," demanded Phoenix. "The defense would like to exercise its right to cross-examine the witness."

"Yes, of course." The judge nodded. "Go right ahead. I can't say that I envy you the privilege."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix, looking doubtfully at the witness, who was now shaking in his shoes so hard that it looked like he might pass out at any moment. _I'm not sure it'll be any use, actually. It looks like that testimony might have been too much for him. Still, this is the best, or rather the only chance we've had so far to find anything that might help us make our case. I have to at least give it my best shot._

"Boss," whispered Athena. "Um…I think I can do this!"

Phoenix blinked. "Wait…you can what?"

Athena tapped one finger against Widget. "Mr. Mause is just a terrified ball of confused emotions right now," she explained. "I think Widget and I might be able to help sift through some of those feelings. At least it'll probably help him calm down, and we might be able to find a contradiction or at least a lead in the process. Should I give it a try?"

"Yes!" Phoenix grinned in relief. "Yes, definitely, let's try it. It's our best bet at this point."

Athena nodded and threw Phoenix an enthusiastic thumbs-up. "Right away, Mr. Wright! Let's find out what's really hiding in Mr. Mause's heart."

Phoenix just sat back and let Athena do her thing. _What did I do, _he wondered, _before Athena joined the team? _

"Your honor," announced Athena. "The defense would like permission to conduct a quick therapy session on Mr. Mause!"

The judge raised an eyebrow. "A therapy session? What a wonderful idea. I think we could all use a little relaxation right about now. Please, Miss Cykes, go right ahead."

"Right!" Athena flashed him a confident smile and pulled up her mood matrix screen. After typing in some basic information, she looked up again at Mr. Mause.

"Okay, Mr. Mause," she said. "This is going to be nice and easy. All you have to do is go through your testimony one more time. Don't worry about making mistakes or getting everything exactly right. Just tell us what you remember at your own pace. Then we'll look back at what you said, and we'll talk about how all that stuff you remember makes you feel. See? Nothing to it. Just try to relax, okay?"

Mr. Mause nodded dumbly. Phoenix couldn't tell if the man was paralyzed with fear, or just doing his best to be a stoic.

"Great." Athena nodded. "Okay, are you ready? Go ahead. Start testifying!"

Again, Mr. Mause went through his brief account of almost witnessing the murder. Much to Phoenix's disappointment, his testimony was relatively consistent, and he didn't really provide any new or contradictory information. Across the room, Prosecutor Gavin looked completely at ease.

_Here's hoping this gets us somewhere, _thought Phoenix. _I have the feeling that it might be our last chance. If we can't find anything with this, then the judge will have to hand down a verdict. Make me proud, Athena…please. _

"Okay," muttered Athena, frowning at her mood matrix screen. "Mr. Wright, come take a look at this!"

Phoenix leaned over so that he could see over her shoulder, and Athena pointed excitedly at the testimony depicted on the screen.

"There are a ton of really intense emotions here," she explained. "That's pretty much what we expected, right? But, honestly, a couple of these feelings don't match up with the stuff he's saying. What do you think? Is there anything here we can use?"

Together, they took a moment to run through the testimony twice, examining each segment of Mr. Mause's description of events.

"Yeah," mumbled Phoenix, excited but barely daring to hope. "Yeah, I think…I think we've got something, here. It's not much, but…hey, it's something."

"Let's take it and run with it," suggested Athena. "After all, what have we got to lose?"

Phoenix turned back to confront the witness.

"Mr. Mause," he demanded. "There's something about your testimony that doesn't quite seem to add up. Maybe you can help me understand it."

Mr. Mause swallowed, and turned even paler than he already was.

"When you talk about 'the club' that you don't know the name of," insisted Phoenix, "you seem to be feeling happy, and a little bit scared at the same time. You feel very much the same way when you talk about noticing the switchblade knife. What about that club and that knife make you feel so strongly?"

Gavin muttered something in German under his breath, and Athena just grinned across at him. Mr. Mause cleared his throat, but when he opened his mouth, no sound came out.

"I mean," continued Phoenix doggedly, throwing caution to the wind, "I can understand being scared of the knife. Seeing a man holding a knife at another man's throat would frighten anybody. What I don't understand is why that knife apparently made you happy. Also, why would a club that you supposedly knew nothing about make you both happy and scared? You have to admit, something about this doesn't make sense."

"Go get him, Mr. Wright," whispered Athena under her breath.

"I…no, I…" Mr. Mause was now turning from pale to purple, and beads of sweat were running down his forehead and under the collar of his shirt. "It's…it's not so strange. I j-j-just…um…"

_I've got him now, _thought Phoenix triumphantly. _Um…I think. _

"Mr. Mause," declared Phoenix, jabbing an accusing forefinger at the man in the witness box. "I think I can explain the reason behind this little emotional contradiction. Could it be that you have some strong, positive association with both the club called "The Back Door," and the switchblade knife in question? I suggest that you are, in fact, a patron of that club, and that you've seen that knife somewhere before, maybe inside the club, or in the possession of one of the club's members. You're happy when you think about the club, but you're terrified about being exposed as a club member! That accounts for the discrepancy between your feelings and your testimony, don't you think?"

"Ah….AAAAAAAAAH!" Mr. Mause screamed a horrible, miserable, high-pitched scream. All around them, the gallery erupted into an excited babble.

Athena enthusiastically punched the air. "YES!"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Phoenix hazarded a triumphant smile at Gavin, who suddenly didn't seem his usual, obnoxiously blasé self.

_Still, _thought Phoenix, _let's not get ahead of ourselves. That was our opening, sure, but this case is far from over. Unfortunately, now that we're back in the game, this is probably just the beginning…_

**Two hours later, outside Courtroom No. 9…**

"Mr. Wright," murmured. Mr. Jim Fairchild as he and his defense team strode out into the lobby. "Thank you. That was…really impressive, actually. I was starting to worry that it might be all over for me."

"Well, it's not over yet, at least," replied Phoenix. "We have another day to prepare, and that's probably the best outcome we could have hoped for from today's trial."

Mr. Fairchild glanced over his shoulder at the waiting police officers a few feet away, respectfully keeping their distance while he talked to his defense, but looking on curiously nonetheless.

"I'm going to ask you honestly, Mr. Wright," he said, taking a deep breath. "I need you tell me the truth, no matter how unpleasant it might be. Do you think there's any hope of our winning this trial?"

"What? Of course there is!" Athena frowned at him. "Don't lose heart, Mr. Fairchild! We've got one more whole day! That's a whole twenty four more hours of hope!"

She grinned confidently. Phoenix raised an eyebrow.

_I'm not sure that was the most comforting way to put it, _he thought.

"Mr. Fairchild," he said seriously, turning to look his client squarely in the eye the way Mia had always instructed him to. "I'll admit that it looks bad right now and that we're in a tight spot, but I'll tell you the same thing that I told a friend of mine last night. I'm not going to give up on you. You're an innocent man and I'm going to prove that to this court, no matter what. This case is important to me, so I need you to keep believing in me until the end. I won't let you down. You have my word."

Mr. Fairchild looked startled, and for a moment, no one said anything.

"Wow, boss," whispered Athena. "That was so inspiring! I don't think I've ever seen you so intense about a case before."

_Yeah, well, _thought Phoenix, rubbing uncomfortably at the back of his neck, _maybe Edgeworth was right. Maybe this one's more important to me than usual. Anyway, I meant every word I said. Just don't ask me what we're supposed to do next. I'm, uh, still working on that part._

His phone beeped in his pocket and he took it out to look at it. Apparently, the time was now four o'clock in the afternoon. It looked like he'd missed two calls while he'd been in the courtroom.

_They're both from Trucy, _he realized. _She must be back at the office by now._

Hitting the redial button, he listened to Trucy's phone ring on the other end of the line. Eventually, he got her voicemail.

"Mr. Wright," asked Athena, "what's up? Everything okay?"

Phoenix hung up the phone. "Yeah, everything's fine. I just missed a couple of calls from Trucy. She was supposed to go straight to the office after school and then call me. She called, but…now she isn't answering."

"Try the office number," suggested Athena.

_Oh, right, _thought Phoenix. _Good idea. _

This time he dialed the Wright Anything Agency office number, but again, the phone rang four times and then went to voicemail.

"I don't get it," he muttered, feeling the stirrings of panic beginning in his chest. "Where is she?"

Athena frowned. "Maybe she's just in the bathroom?"

Phoenix was just about to try calling again when his phone beeped a second time, warning him that he'd just received a text message from a number that he didn't recognize.

When he opened the message, it read;

WARNED YOU ONCE

WARNING YOU TWICE

GUILTY'S THE VERDICT

OR WE WON'T PLAY NICE

ABSOLVE YOURSELF OF YOUR SIN

MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION

Phoenix froze, alarm bells going off in his head. "What…what the heck is this?"

His palms started to sweat, and he read the message over a second and then a third time. _It must be from the same person, _he thought. _It's from whoever wrote me that threatening message last night. I don't understand what this means. What am I supposed to do? A 'guilty verdict or we won't play nice?' Do they want me to throw the trial? 'Absolve myself of my sin?' What sin? Where's Trucy? _

Athena was staring at him. "Boss…? You look terrible! Who was that from? What's happening?"

_I don't know, _thought Phoenix frantically.

Horribly, he found himself flashing back to probably one of the scariest moments of his life, when he'd been standing with Pearl at the Gatewater hotel and they'd received that fateful transmitter call from the mysterious 'Shelley De Killer.' De Killer had taken Maya, and he'd had demands too.

_Actually, _thought Phoenix, _This isn't so different from what happened back then. Shelley De Killer wanted me to win a case. Whoever this guy is wants me to lose a case….I think. Gah, back then I was supposed to get a guilty man acquitted, and now I'm supposed to get an innocent man convicted? Why? Because he's gay? Or is it because I'm gay? The message says 'absolve yourself of your sin.' Is that my sin, or his? No, it doesn't matter. Where's Trucy?_

"I need to find my daughter," he said aloud. "I have to-!"

"Excuse me, Mr. Wright?" The bailiff was suddenly standing next to him. "I'm sorry to bother you, but the Chief Prosecutor would like to see you in his office."

Phoenix just shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I'm busy right now. He'll have to wait."

Again, Phoenix listened to the message on Trucy's answering machine. _Please, _he thought desperately, _please, Trucy, just pick up the phone. Daddy's really, really worried. _

The bailiff coughed politely. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Wright, but Mr. Edgeworth says that it's an emergency. He needs to see you right away."

"Not now," snapped Phoenix, annoyed and panicked. "I said I'm busy, okay? Look, tell him…just tell him I'll call him later. Or, tell him whatever you want, I don't care."

The bailiff did not look happy, but Phoenix had already lost interest in him.

_Sorry, Edgeworth, _he thought. _I'll make it up to you later. I promise. _

"No, Mr. Wright, go up and talk to Mr. Edgeworth," insisted Athena unexpectedly. "He says it's important, so it might be about the case. I'll run back to the office and find Trucy, okay?"

"No," began Phoenix, "right now I need to-!"

"Oh, and then you can ask Mr. Edgeworth to drive you to the office in his car," added Athena, apparently ignoring Phoenix's protests. "That'll be a lot faster than walking, right? If Trucy's not at the office, then she's probably home at your apartment, and you can drive over there to get her. Sound good?"

"I…" For a moment, Phoenix hesitated. _She has a point, _he thought. _A car would be faster. Still…_

"Okay," announced Athena, before Phoenix had a chance to protest. "'I'm off! See you soon, boss!"

With that she hurried out into the parking lot, leaving Phoenix staring uncertainly after her.

"Mr. Wright," began the bailiff. "If…if you'd please come with me."

**To be continued…**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **

There is so much more of this episode. So. Much More. I will try to post it reasonably soon. Don't touch that dial!

...that's a reference that most of you whippersnappers wouldn't get, right? See, a dial was a thing that they used to have on something called a radio, and...

...You know what, nevermind.


	22. At Last, My Turnabout- Twenty One

**Author's Note: **And so here we are, picking up EXACTLY where we left off in the previous installment.

I guess that's all that really needs to be said about that.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty One: The Truth About Love – Part Four**

**November 30, 2028**

**3:30 PM**

**Chief Prosecutor's Office**

Not entirely sure what else to do, Phoenix gave up and let the bailiff lead him through the halls of the courthouse and into the elevator. When they reached the second floor, Phoenix saw that the door to the Chief Prosecutor's office was slightly open, and he could hear Edgeworth talking to someone inside.

"Uh, if you'll excuse me," mumbled the bailiff, beating a hasty retreat before Phoenix had a chance to change his mind.

_An emergency, huh? _Shaking his head, Phoenix entered the office.

Edgeworth was standing over near the window, thoughtfully sipping at a cup of tea and apparently contemplating the horizon. Next to his desk was an expensive-looking silver tea service on a cart, containing several cups and a fancy, engraved teapot.

Phoenix, however, wasn't interested in the tea things for very long. What immediately caught his attention was the chair on the other side of Edgeworth's desk, or rather the person sitting in the chair.

"T-Trucy?" Phoenix's mouth fell open in surprise. "What…wait, what are you doing here?"

Trucy looked up from her teacup and beamed at him. "Oh, hi, Daddy! Is the trial over? Did you win?"

"I...um…" Phoenix wasn't sure what to say. _She's okay, _he thought, a wave of almost staggering relief numbing his body and mind. _She's okay! She's not missing, or kidnapped, or lying dead by the side of the road, or…or…_

He suddenly felt dizzy, and his legs started to give out underneath him. Looking alarmed, Trucy jumped up and ran over to him. "Daddy? What is it?"

Phoenix put both arms around his daughter and hugged her fiercely to his chest while his head spun. She squeaked a little with surprise, but didn't try to get away.

"I love you," she told him soothingly, hugging him back while he took a few deep breaths and tried to stave off the irrational tears that were suddenly pooling in the corners of his eyes. "Please don't cry, Daddy. E-everything's going to be okay, remember?"

Eventually Phoenix let Trucy lead him back to the chair she'd just been sitting in. He sagged into it, exhausted and completely drained, and then he closed his eyes, massaging his aching temples with both hands while Trucy looked on in uncertain silence.

"Trucy," he demanded hoarsely when he'd finally gotten control of himself again, for the most part. "What are you doing at the courthouse? I told you to go straight back to the office, didn't I? Why didn't you pick up the phone when I called?"

"Um," mumbled Trucy. "Well, I did go back to the office, just like you said, and then I called you, but I guess you were still in the courtroom. I was worried, so…" She trailed off, looking puzzled and a bit sheepish.

"And so," finished Edgeworth, turning around to face Phoenix, "she phoned me. I'm afraid that your daughter has been very concerned about your recent behavior, Wright. It seems you've been acting strangely and making unusual demands. When Trucy called and explained the situation, I naturally drove over to collect her, assuming that you would feel better knowing that she was safe in my office rather than alone and vulnerable back at your agency."

_Y-yeah, _thought Phoenix. _I guess I would have been happy about that, if I'd known. You could have left me a note, or something. I thought I was going to lose my mind for a minute, there._

"Sorry, Daddy," mumbled Trucy. " I don't get such good cell phone service in here. I didn't know you were calling."

"Wright." Edgeworth was now scowling at Phoenix with both arms crossed severely over his chest. "You will explain to me exactly what is going on, immediately, with no further evasions. It does not take any particularly brilliant departure to recognize that something is very wrong with you. I think I've tolerated your pathetic and misguided attempts to shield me from the truth for long enough."

Phoenix stared into Edgeworth's stern, unyielding black scowl and seriously considered telling him everything. It would have been a huge relief to get all of it off of his chest, or least to be able to share that sick feeling inside with someone else.

_When Maya was kidnapped all those years ago, Edgeworth was the one who stepped in to help find her, _thought Phoenix. _When I was at my wit's end, he was there to keep me from giving up. I know I can trust him. I can always trust him._

Phoenix thought about the disgusted way that his potential clients now looked at him, and about how little money there was in the agency bank account. He thought about the ugly comments that people made when he walked past on the street, and about the threatening, anonymous emails that were starting to drive him almost insane with uncertainty and fear.

_No, _he decided miserably. _I…I wish he could be there for me, now, but…he can't. I can't tell Edgeworth what's really happening, here. He'll get angry or he'll panic, and he'll feel like this is all his fault. It isn't, but I know him, and once he's decided to hold himself responsible I'll never be able to talk him out of it. I told him that he wouldn't have to regret being with me. I can't…no, I won't go back on that now. I won't ever let him be ashamed. I'm sorry about this, Edgeworth, but it's for your own good. I have to handle this on my own, for once…or at least, without you. _

"Honestly, Edgeworth," he insisted, making the split-second decision to bluff like his life depended upon it, "it's nothing. I'm just being an overprotective worrywart Daddy, that's all." He sighed, grinning and forcing himself to meet Edgeworth's black scowl head-on without flinching. "I guess you'd say that's pretty typical, huh? Always the dramatic one, that Phoenix Wright. Always letting his emotions get the better of him, huh?"

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow, clearly not even remotely convinced. "You're sweating like a pig," he remarked.

_Oh, yeah, I guess I am, _realized Phoenix. His smile faded, and he took a deep breath. _Okay, then let's try something just a little closer to the truth. _

"All right, fine," he sad. "I admit it, I'm…I'm nervous. No, I'm…actually pretty scared."

The expression on Edgeworth's face flickered for just a moment. "I see."

_I hope not, _thought Phoenix.

"You hear what people say when we walk by, right?" He shrugged. "Yeah, sure, I try not to let it bother me, but I notice the stares, too, and I hear the ugly remarks. I guess I knew this was going to happen, and I accepted that I'd have to deal with it, but I'm worried about Trucy. I read the news like everybody else; actually, probably more than everybody else. I know about 'bullying,' and how bad that can get. As a parent, I'm worried about my daughter. Is that so surprising?"

"No," murmured Edgeworth. "No, not surprising at all. You're probably wise to worry."

_Oh, thanks, _thought Phoenix. _Was that supposed to be comforting? _"Anyway," he went on, "this is a high profile case. Lots of people know about it, and lots of people have strong opinions about it one way or another. I don't want Trucy to get caught in the crossfire, that's all. Maybe I'm being overprotective, but-!"

"And that's all?" Edgeworth was still frowning. "You're concerned about the effect that recent gossip might be having on your daughter. There's nothing else? Nothing more particular or specific that you'd like to share with me?"

For a moment, Phoenix had the terrible suspicion that maybe, just maybe Edgeworth already knew.

_But no, there's no way, _he told himself. _He wouldn't be wasting time asking me about it if he already knew everything about the clients and the hate mail. I never told Trucy about either of those things, so I'm sure she hasn't passed the information along. Athena's reasonably discreet, when she wants to be, at least, and I don't think Apollo and Edgeworth even speak. No, I have to be imagining things. He can't know. It's impossible. _

"Yes," announced Phoenix, clearing his throat and doing his best to look assertive and unconcerned. "That's all. See? I told you that you'd just think I was being paranoid."

For a long moment, Edgeworth didn't say anything. and Phoenix couldn't read any emotion in the Chief Prosecutor's face. He shifted uncomfortably in the chair, feeling suddenly like he was back at the bench and like Edgeworth was again the prosecution, staring him down and just waiting for him to make one tiny but damning little mistake.

"Uh, listen," he began awkwardly.

Edgeworth just shook his head. "No," he insisted. "I...don't accuse you of being unreasonably paranoid. While it's true that you may be slightly overreacting to overheard comments and a negative atmosphere, you are only behaving like a concerned parent. If anything, you should be commended for that."

"Oh," mumbled Phoenix confusedly, not quite sure if he was out of the woods, yet."Well, uh, th-thanks. Coming from you, that means a lot."

Edgeworth just nodded, his face still unreadable.

"A-actually, Edgeworth, that brings me to a favor I wanted to ask you," stammered Phoenix, unable to endure the silence any longer. "I know this is a big imposition, but you know I'd never ask it if I felt like there was a better option."

Edgeworth just raised an eyebrow.

"Trucy," said Phoenix, turning to his daughter, "I want you to skip school tomorrow."

Trucy's jaw dropped. "Wh…WHAT? But, Dad, you never-!"

"Yeah," interjected Phoenix, holding up a hand to forestall her. "Yeah, I know I don't, but you heard what I just said. This case is getting ugly, and I don't want you in the middle of it. Just for tomorrow, I'd like you to come to the courthouse with me and hang out in the Chief Prosecutor's Office for the day."

"In…my office?" Edgeworth looked startled.

Phoenix bit his lip." Please, Edgeworth. I know it's not reasonable, but-!"

"No, it's no significant inconvenience," murmured Edgeworth thoughtfully. "At least, not for me. I have nothing of any particular importance to attend to, tomorrow. There are no meetings or reports scheduled for imminent delivery. I imagine that missing school will pose some problems for Trucy, however."

"My math test," mumbled Trucy. "It's on Friday, remember?"

"You can study your math here," Phoenix assured her. "You can call in sick to school, and I'll ask Apollo to go in and get the notes for you. Okay?"

Trucy frowned. "But," she began, "that's not…I mean, doesn't that seem a little extreme? Why would I have any trouble at school? Most people there don't even know who you are, Daddy. You're not THAT famous."

_And that, _thought Phoenix, _is amazingly good news. Still…_

He caught Edgeworth's eye, and Edgeworth nodded. Coming around the desk, Edgeworth placed a hand on Trucy's shoulder.

"I think it would be best if we humored your father for now," Edgeworth told her. "Yes, he is dramatic and naturally prone to overreact to uncomplicated situations. There's probably nothing to worry about, but we can't be entirely sure. I imagine that he will find it much easier to argue in court tomorrow if he knows for a fact that you're safe and entirely out of harm's way. Do you understand, Trucy?"

Trucy looked up into Edgeworth's eyes, swallowed, and then nodded. "Yeah," she said. "I understand. It's no problem, Daddy, Mr. Edgeworth. Um…it'll be like a one-day vacation! Every kid likes having days off from school, right? Yay, lucky me!"

She tried to smile, and almost succeeded. Phoenix, almost ready to collapse with relief, turned and looked at Edgeworth, who just nodded back.

_You're right, _thought Phoenix. _I'm going to feel a lot safer, having her here. I can't think of any safer place in the world for my daughter to be than in this office. She'll be surrounded by police officers, anyway, and I trust you more than just about any other man I know. Trucy, I promise that Daddy's not going to let anything happen to you. Just hang in there. _

"Edgeworth," began Phoenix. "I can't thank-!"

Suddenly, his cell phone beeped in his pocket. When he took it out, he found that Athena was trying to call him.

"Oh," he said. "Athena's back at the office looking for you, Trucy. We'd better call her and tell her you're here."

Trucy sighed. "I didn't mean to cause so much trouble," she muttered.

Edgeworth made an expansive gesture with both hands. "It might be easier," he suggested, "if I drove you back to the office in my car. I'm finished here for the day, so if you like, we can stop for some dinner on the way. It will be my treat, of course."

_Oh, well, if you're offering, _thought Phoenix, suddenly aware of how hungry he was. _But, wait, didn't you treat last time? Gah, I wish I could refuse, but I guess I can't. My wallet's completely slack. Next time, though, Edgeworth..._

"If you'll excuse me for just a moment," said Edgeworth, "I have to make a phone call. We'll go as soon as I've finished. You may want to contact Ms. Cykes in the meantime."

With that, he took out his cell phone and stepped out into the hallway

"Um, isn't this his office?" Trucy was frowning. "He could just use the phone in here."

_It must be something he doesn't want me to hear, _thought Phoenix. _Maybe it's related to a case. It would be bad if I started getting inside information about the inner workings of the prosecutor's office. That'd be about as ethically dubious as it gets. _

"Daddy," asked Trucy, "are you angry?"

"Angry?" Phoenix just stared at her. "I...god, no. I just..."

He took a deep breath, swallowed, and then shook his head.

_Parenting, _he thought. _I'll get the hang of it someday..._

**Later that evening, at the Wright Family Apartment...**

"Goodnight, Daddy," said Trucy, leaning over to give her father a quick kiss on the cheek. Turning to Edgeworth, she boldly kissed him as well, adding, "Goodnight. Mr. Edgeworth. Thanks for your help, today!"

Both men watched as Trucy went into her own bedroom and closed the door.

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix, turning back to Edgeworth. "Thank you for today. Not just for picking up Trucy, but for backing me up with her as well. I can't tell you how much better it makes me feel, knowing that she'll be with you during the trial."

Edgeworth just inclined his head. "It's no trouble. For once, I think you're taking the appropriate precautions."

_Really? _Phoenix frowned. _I kinda assumed you'd think that I was crazy. I wonder if you really did buy that story about me just being a paranoid father. Maybe you've already seen right through me after all. I guess it wouldn't be the first time._

Edgeworth glanced at his watch. "It's later than I'd realized," he noted. "I should be going. You have an early trial, tomorrow. No doubt you'll want to rest and prepare."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _I probably should. There's a lot to do, still. There's so much I'm still not sure about. I'll need a plan of attack before I walk into the courtroom. It'll probably be a pretty late night._

Edgeworth gave Phoenix the closest he ever got to a half-smile, then turned and prepared to leave.

"Goodnight, Wright," he said over his shoulder. "Don't worry, I can see myself out."

Phoenix opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly those same, vaguely panicky and sick feelings started in his chest. He felt uncomfortably awful, like a vice had just clamped down around his heart. After the myriad uncertainties of the past few days, the world now suddenly felt like the unwelcoming place that Edgeworth so often insisted it was. He thought about the horrible emails, and the overhanging threat of "OR ELSE." It made him feel like there were people watching him from every window, or lurking outside every door. The apartment felt like a trap as his overtaxed mind began spinning out of control, and he desperately, savagely didn't want to be alone.

"Wait," he said, reaching out and grabbing Edgeworth by the arm.

Edgeworth turned and looked at him in surprise.

"I…" Phoenix took a deep breath. "Just…please don't go yet."

"But," insisted Edgeworth, "You should be focusing on your case. If nothing else, you'll need sleep. This is hardly the time-!"

_I know that, _thought Phoenix, _but I don't want you to leave me here. I know I'm not being rational, right now. You'll have to get over it._

"I…I need you," he mumbled desperately. "I really do. You can lecture me about it later, if it makes you feel better. I won't even argue with you.'

He kissed Edgeworth then, wrapping both arms around his back and craving the feeling of Edgeworth's warmth against him. Clearly startled, Edgeworth was slow to embrace him in return, and Phoenix found himself almost scrabbling at Edgeworth's arms, trying to get as close to the other man as he could in what felt like a childish need to be somewhere safe where the world made sense and where he knew he wouldn't have to be alone. He kissed him insistently and quickly, and Edgeworth, obviously excited by Phoenix's urgency was soon enthusiastically kissing him back, breathing in short little gasps as he crushed Phoenix against his chest with both arms and devoured Phoenix's mouth with his.

Somehow, they found their way through the closed door of Phoenix's bedroom. Before they were even halfway to the bed, Phoenix's lips were at Edgeworth's throat and he was frantically fumbling with the overtight knot at the back of Edgeworth's cravat. Edgeworth let out a strangled little half-groan of desire and shoved Phoenix back onto the bed, almost misjudging the distance entirely and subsequently only barely managing to keep them both off of the floor.

"Wright," gasped Edgeworth. "Are you sure…?"

By way of a response, Phoenix untangled himself from the embrace, slid overtop of Edgeworth and leaned down to kiss him again.

Edgeworth succumbed instantly, closing his eyes and drawing Phoenix against him, making no argument as Phoenix took over.

It was so uncharacteristically meek and submissive of the usually stern and masterful District Chief Prosecutor that Phoenix almost laughed.

That cold, clenching hand around Phoenix's heart began to relax its grip as Edgeworth's long fingers swept through Phoenix's hair.

_At least, _he thought, _even if the rest of the world has gone completely insane, I know that I'm safe with him. I...I can't believe I'm saying this after all the things we've done to one another over the years, but I think he's the only one right now who could make me feel any better. I meant it when I said I needed him, huh? Maybe I meant it more than I even realized. _

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

I have a few other authors I'd like to acknowledge, here.

If you have a chance this week, there are two stories you should definitely take the time to check out.

**Ersatz Writer** has released a delightfully fluffy new one Phoenix/Edgeworth oneshot that it more than worth a read.

Also, **WrightAnythingAgency** has a multi-chaptered story that is not getting nearly the reviews it deserves, especially since it features Trucy in dire straits, which always makes for angsty Phoenix and dramatic literary gold. Please, do go read, and if you do read, please review. We authors absolutely cherish our reviews, and our reviewers as well! You are all very special to me!

But wait, there's STILL MORE OF THIS CHAPTER.

I'll…try to post that by the end of the day as well.

Oh dear lord…


	23. At Last, My Turnabout - Twenty Two

**Author's Note: **So here, finally, we have the final installment of the "Truth About Love" arc.

Sorry I didn't post it last night as I had originally planned. Rehearsal went very late.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Two: The Truth About Love – Part Five**

**December 1, 2028**

**6:00 AM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

The next morning, Phoenix awoke to the jarring sound of his alarm going off. According to the clock on the bedside table, it was already six AM.

Beside Phoenix on the bed, Edgeworth shifted and mumbled something unintelligible, apparently in his sleep. Acting on an almost maliciously affectionate whim, Phoenix leaned over and softly kissed the back of Edgeworth's neck.

Edgeworth grumbled, rolled over and sleepily opened one eye.

"Stop that," he muttered."It tickles. It's…unsettling."

Phoenix grinned. "Good morning to you, too."

Edgeworth coughed. "Y-yes. Where are my manners? Good morning." He turned slightly pink around the ears, and Phoenix didn't think that would ever stop being adorable.

"Uh, listen, Edgeworth," he began, clearing his throat. "So…about last night. I'm sorry about, uh…you know, taking you by surprise like that."

If anything, Edgeworth only reddened even more. "You have nothing to apologize for," he mumbled.

Phoenix reached into the tangle of Edgeworth's sleeping form, found his hand, and squeezed it. "Thanks for staying," he said. "It meant a lot to me, honestly."

Unexpectedly, Edgeworth captured Phoenix's fingers in his own and brought them to his lips, gently kissing Phoenix's fingertips before releasing the hand. Phoenix's fingers tingled pleasantly for several moments after Edgeworth had kissed them, and Phoenix could feel that uncontrollable smile starting to spread its way across his face again while his heart thumped ecstatically in his chest.

"Wright," muttered Edgeworth, coughing and suddenly looking extremely serious. "There's..something that I'd like to say."

"Huh?" Phoenix looked into Edgeworth's eyes and found something unreadable and intense in them that he wasn't sure he'd ever seen there before. "Wh-what is it?"

Edgeworth opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He swallowed hard and then began again, very slowly and deliberately as though forcing each word out against it's will. "Wright," he repeated. "I…I fear that I may be beginning to…t-to…"

Phoenix waited, but Edgeworth didn't seem to be able to finish the sentence Averting his eyes, Edgeworth took a deep breath, nodded determinedly to himself, and then began again.

"Ah…forgive me," he muttered confusedly. "This proves difficult. I'm afraid that despite the urgings of common sense I am undoubtedly starting to-!"

Unfortunately, Phoenix's alarm chose that moment to begin beeping even more loudly than before, reminding Phoenix that it was really time to get moving.

"Ack," muttered Phoenix, "I need to get in the shower. The trial's at nine, and Athena's meeting me at the office at eight. Whatever it is, is it okay if we talk about it later?"

"O-of course," mumbled Edgeworth, looking like he wasn't sure if he should be relieved or disappointed. "It's hardly important. Naturally, it will wait."

As Phoenix climbed out of bed, yawned, stretched, and then made for the bathroom door, something occurred to him.

"You keep calling me 'Wright,'" he said, turning back to Edgeworth. "I kind of feel like we're on a first-name basis by now, don't you?"

Edgeworth was clearly taken aback." But…I've always called you 'Wright,'" he insisted. "Ever since our school days, that method of address hasn't changed."

_Yeah, that's true, _thought Phoenix, thinking back to when he and Edgeworth had been in the fourth grade together. Edgeworth had used his last name even then. As a little boy, Edgeworth had been almost as pompous and peremptory as he was now, with both children and adults. Most of the other children at school had made fun of him for it, and had accused him of being stuck up. _Yeah, well, I guess he kinda was, _decided Phoenix.

"Most of my friends call me Nick," he suggested. "You could try that."

"A...nickname," mumbled Edgeworth. "That seems overly familiar."

_Overly familiar? _Phoenix snorted a laugh. _Edgeworth, what we did last night was 'overly familiar.' At this point, using my first name just makes more sense._

"In that case," Edgeworth began, making a face, "I suppose you will insist on calling me 'Miles.'"

"Uh…well, y-yeah, I guess," agreed Phoenix in surprise. Now that he thought about it, Edgeworth didn't exactly strike him as a 'Miles.' He didn't remember ever having heard anyone call Edgeworth 'Miles.' Fransizka had always called him by his full name, "Miles Edgeworth," but somehwo just "Miles" seemed sort of wrong.

_Actually, _thought Phoenix, _maybe this isn't such a good idea after all. Seems like a bigger step than I realized. 'Wright' is a good name. It's my name. Nothing wrong with it. I mean, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. _

"Well, anyway," he said aloud, "we can work on that."

"Indeed," agreed Edgeworth, clearly glad to be letting the topic go. "You'd best hurry, or you'll be late."

"Yeah," muttered Phoenix. "Yeah, all right, I'm going."

After showering and finding a clean shirt and suit, Phoenix ran a comb through his hair and made his way into the kitchen to find Edgeworth and Trucy already sitting at the table.

"I made muffins," announced Trucy, pulling an honestly appetizing-looking blueberry muffin out of her favorite magic panties. "They're good! No, really, try one!"

Edgeworth was already happily munching on a muffin of his own, looking suitably impressed. "Your daughter," he told Phoenix, "has a real talent. These are…more than acceptably edible."

"Coming from him, that's a pretty big compliment," explained Phoenix, sitting down beside Trucy and accepting a muffin.

Trucy beamed at him. "I made tea, too!"

Again she reached into her magic panties, this time producing a battered old brass teapot and then a trio of plastic tea cups. Phoenix thought they looked like something that might once have been part of a children's tea party playset, but Edgeworth either didn't notice, or pretended not to. With complete solemnity he accepted one of the teacups, poured himself some tea and smiled as he took a sip.

"Delightful," he murmured. "A cup of strong tea is always the perfect start to an early morning."

Doubtfully, Phoenix poured some for himself and tasted it.

_Not exactly what I'd call 'strong,' _he thought. _Not bad either, though. _

Trucy just beamed and offered Edgeworth another muffin. She looked pretty and sleepy with a flattened lock of hair still hanging in her face, and the sunlight streaming in through the window to highlight the way her teeth flashed when she grinned.

Suddenly, Phoenix felt more at peace than he had in days, or maybe even in weeks.

_This, _he thought, _is more like it. This is the way it's supposed to be._

From across the table, Edgeworth looked up and met his eyes, and for a moment neither of them said anything. Eventually, Edgeworth nodded, raised his plastic teacup in a somber salute, and took a quick sip. Trucy giggled.

_Yeah, _decided Phoenix. _This would be worth getting used to. _

**A very short time later, just outside Phoenix's apartment complex…**

After everyone was cleaned up, showered, and dressed, they all headed out into the parking lot.

Trucy gave her father a quick hug. "Good luck today, Daddy. Knock 'em dead!"

"Figuratively, of course," murmured Edgeworth, shaking his head. "I believe a 'not guilty' verdict is, in fact, the goal."  
Again, Trucy laughed.

"Indeed, Wright," said Edgeworth, "I wish you the best of success, today. However the trial turns out, you'll know where to find us when it's over."

_I'm counting on it, _thought Phoenix gratefully.

"Let's all go get lunch together at Eldoon's after the trial to celebrate," suggested Trucy brightly. "I can call Maya and Pearl – they'll want to come, too."

_You're assuming I'm going to win, _thought Phoenix, grinning a little nervously. _Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. _

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," he said, kissing Trucy on the forehead. Then he turned to Edgeworth and leaned in to kiss him. Edgeworth took Phoenix's head in both hands as Phoenix lingered over his lips for just that precious extra moment.

When he did finally pull away and look up again, Trucy was beaming all over her face.

"Wright," muttered Edgeworth, glancing over his shoulder. "This parking lot probably-!"

"Nick," insisted Phoenix. "Come on, try it."

Edgeworth hesitated uncertainly."N-Nick," he managed finally, clearing his throat "This parking lot is likely to be full of security cameras."

Phoenix just shrugged. "At this point," he retorted, "who cares?"

Edegeworth frowned. "I suppose you have a point. It may be long past time to worry about such things. Ah, well. In that case, Trucy and I will be leaving. We'll see you later, Wri-!"

Phoenix raised an eyebrow, and Edgeworth winced.

"Nick," he corrected himself. "I…I am not sure that I will ever get used to that. I don't suppose you would accept 'Phoenix' by way of compromise?"

Trucy and Edgeworth left, then, climbing into Edgeworth's little car and heading out towards the main road. Phoenix stood there and watched for a moment before starting around the corner towards the Wright Anything Agency offices.

On his way out of the parking lot, he passed a very obvious security camera mounted in the far left corner of the lot.

_Those things are everywhere, _he realized. _Funny how I never paid any attention to that before. I wonder if that camera's already got a record of Edgeworth and I. There are probably records like that all over town. Maybe that's how Myriam Scuttlebutt's been getting those photos. Then again, how would she get access to all that security footage? She doesn't have any right to that information, or any clearances as far as I know. I guess some of the guards could be bribed, though. We can probably use that if we ever actually do take her to court._

By that time the street was already mercilessly congested with rush-hour traffic. While Phoenix waited at a light, his thoughts turned unhappily to the upcoming final day of Mr. Jim Fairchild's murder trial.

_After all the work we've done, _he told himself, _the ugly truth is that we still have nothing. We don't have a shred of real evidence as to what happened that day outside the club. I can bluff all I want and throw objections in Gavin's face until we both turn blue, but it doesn't change the fact that he knows and I know that I can't prove a damn thing. _

The light changed, and Phoenix crossed the street along with a bunch of other impatient pedestrians in business suits.

_Wouldn't it be great, _he thought, _if there had been a security camera outside that club? If there had been a security camera outside that club, then we'd probably have some kind of video footage of what took place the night of the murder. Of course, nobody wants to be caught dead going into "The Back Door," so there aren't any cameras._

That, however, suddenly didn't seem quite right. Something about it didn't quite add up, and Phoenix stood there on the street for a moment, frowning to himself in thought as the pedestrians swirled angrily around him.

_But…wait, that can't be right, _he realized. _There was a photo taken outside that club, wasn't there? Yeah…yeah, Myriam Scuttlebutt took a photograph of Edgeworth and that other guy standing just outside the club, on the sidewalk right where the murder took place. Did she take that picture herself, or was there maybe a hidden camera set up at that spot? There must have been a hidden camera. At that time of night and in a deserted spot like that, Edgeworth or anybody else would have noticed her or her cardboard box just lurking nearby. No, she couldn't have been there. The photograph must have been automatic. In that case…_

Trying not to let himself get too excited about the possibility, Phoenix darted out of the traffic and behind a nearby building to fumble his phone out of his pocket. Hastily, he dialed Athena's number.

"Morning, boss," said Athena on the other end of the line. "Ready for our big day in court?"

"Athena," insisted Phoenix, "I need you to do something for me. I know it sounds crazy and that we're on a tight schedule, but…hear me out."

He briefly outlined his suspicions about Myriam Scuttlebutt and the hidden camera. Athena caught on immediately.

"Ohmygosh," she gasped, clearly just as fired up about this as he was. "So…wait, then if Myriam had a camera at the scene, that means there might be a video!"

"And if there's a video," agreed Phoenix, "then we need it, and we need to get our hands on it before the prosecution comes up with something better. Athena, I know this will make you late for the trial, but I need you to find Myriam as fast as you can."

"Okay," agreed Athena eagerly. "Can do! Actually, I have some idea about what building she might be working out of. After all, I've been planning on giving her a piece of my mind for weeks! Oh, but…" She paused, then added a little less enthusiastically, "but, boss, I don't think she's going to want to give up that camera footage. After all, once you have that you'll actually be able to make a pretty good case against her."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _That's a good point. _

"I don't care what you have to do," he insisted. "Tell her we won't prosecute. Sign anything she gives you to sign. Offer her, um…offer her an exclusive interview with me about the gory details of the murder, if you need to. Nothing's off the table. Oh, um…except Edgeworth. She can't have Edgeworth or any information about him. Anything else I'll give her for free. Just get that footage as fast as you can, and meet me in court as soon as you have it!"

"Right! No problem! You can count on me, Mr. Wright!" With that, Athena hung up the phone. Phoenix shoved his own cell back into his pocket, took a deep breath, and turned around.

Unexpectedly, there was a large, grey-haired man in a suit standing behind him.

_Weird, _thought Phoenix. _I feel like I've seen this guy before, somewhere. Can't think where, though. _

"Uh…sorry," he muttered, trying to step past the man. "Excuse me…"

The large man just crossed his arms over his chest and refused to get out of the way. Phoenix cut left, but quickly found another, even larger man in a suit coming towards him from the right.

_What…? _Alarm bells began ringing in Phoenix's head, and he spun around hurriedly, almost smacking into a third man who had just joined from the left. Now there were three huge, unpleasant looking men closing in on him from all sides, and Phoenix realized that he was trapped.

"We did warn you," grunted the first man, shrugging. "You had your chance to make the right decision."

"B-but…you know that I can't do that," stammered Phoenix, trying to stay calm while sweat dripped down his face and his heart began banging a desperate rhythm in his chest. "I have a responsibility to my client," he added, swallowing hard. "If he's guilty, then-!"

"Some crimes are against nature," muttered the second man. "He's guilty, all right. You're both guilty of being freaks."

"We warned you," repeated the third man. "We gave you more than one chance."

"Looks we'll have to handle this ourselves after all," growled the first man. "The world doesn't need any more people like you. You're just perpetuating the problem."

Phoenix's mouth had gone dry. "C-come on," he muttered. "Look, this isn't the way to-!"

The first man swung his fist right at Phoenix's face, and Phoenix turned aside just in time to take the blow to the side of the head. He crumpled to the ground immediately, his ears ringing and his head roaring with pain.

_Maybe if I just stay down, _he thought desperately, aware that he was cut off on all sides and couldn't possibly get away without an opening. _It's the middle of the day. Broad daylight. There's no way they could-!_

One of the men kicked out at Phoenix's side, doubling him over in pain again. Another man shoved his foot hard into Phoenix's lower back once, twice, then three times. Phoenix screamed, and then all three men descending on him, buffeting him with blows, kicks, punches and jabs, going for any unprotected part of his body they could reach. Phoenix tried to curl up into some kind of protective fetal position to stave off the attacks, but the men were merciless and his entire body was soon on fire with throbbing, searing, thumping and aching pains. He vomited horribly on the pavement, his head swimming, and as he struggled to hang on to consciousness he thought he heard a familiar voice calling his name.

"Mr. Wright! MR. WRIGHT!" Someone was running full-tilt in his direction. The heavy footfalls on the pavement were thundering in time with his heart as it pumped more and more blood out of every aching part of his body onto the street.

One of the men said something that Phoenix's dull, pain-soaked brain could no longer understand. Then they all left him, taking off in three different directions and disappearing around separate corners.

Again, Phoenix started to vomit, nauseated by the unbearable pain, but the broken bones and bruised muscles in his chest made throwing up too agonizing to attempt.

His body heaved miserably and then the whole world went dark, just as whoever had been running finally reached Phoenix's side.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's Note: **

So, I know what you're thinking.

"Ari," you must be thinking. "Ari, that whole scene was really far too melodramatic. I mean, honestly, a brutal attack in the middle of the street? That's not something that would ever really happen, right? You're overdoing the drama."

Well, unfortunately, this chapter is based on a real event that took place not too far from the city where I work. A local actor and gay rights activist was minding his own business on his way home when he was savagely beaten to within an inch of his life by three strangers. They didn't take his money or his wallet, or seem to have any interest in anything on him. Apparently they just wanted to beat him to death. No one ever actually found out why, but we assume that it was a hate crime.

So…although I wish I could claim that this was a melodramatic literary departure on my part, it's not.

As Edgeworth would say, sometimes the world is an ugly, unwelcoming place.

I'm just gonna leave this here. You guys are fine if I take a couple months of hiatus from this story, now, right? Yeah, I was sure that'd be fine.


	24. At Last, My Turnabout - Twenty Three

**Author's Note: **So, I spent hours writing this chapter.

Then I read it back over and something just didn't' feel right.

I spent all night wondering about it, and then I started over from scratch and wrote the chapter again.

Hopefully this one is a bit better. I think I like it better, certainly.

Please, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the subject.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Three: Restless Heart Syndrome – Part One**

**December 1, 2028**

**Somewhere**

**At Some Point**

Phoenix opened his eyes in darkness. The world was a strange, surreal collection of fuzzily blurred shapes and softly muted colors. Every part of his body ached and throbbed vaguely with an inexplicably faraway sort of pain that made him feel as though his body belonged to someone else, like he was watching and feeling everything through a muffling veil that wouldn't lift.

"Agh," he mumbled hoarsely, surprised by the faint sound of his own voice. "I…I can't see."

From somewhere nearby, someone gasped. There was the sound of a chair scraping on the floor, and something large loomed into soft and indistinct sight close to Phoenix's face.

"N-Nick," whispered a shaky voice that Phoenix thought he recognized. "Nick, you're awake! Pearly, h-he's awake!"

"Oh! I'll get the doctor," announced Pearl from somewhere in the background. Again, Phoenix heard the sound of footsteps, followed by the soft creak and then the slam of a door.

"Maya?" Nick tried to sit up, but found that as soon as he started to move he felt a much sharper and more immediate pain somewhere in his stomach or maybe his lower back. An awful dizziness washed over him, followed by a terrible feeling of urgent nausea. "A-ack," he mumbled, shutting his eyes and letting himself fall flat again. "Nngh, why…? Why is everything grey? M-Maya!"

"It's okay, Nick," insisted Maya's voice, much closer than it had been before. "You're wearing a blindfold. The doctor said you had an, um…a concussion. Don't move, okay? Does it…does it hurt bad?"

Phoenix had to think about that for a moment. "It…feels strange,' he decided eventually. "It hurts, yeah, but not badly. Everything's just kind of dull. It's a dull pain. I feel…slow."

"Oh." Maya sniffled loudly. "Um, that's good, I think. The doctor gave you some painkiller, so maybe that's it. Pearl's getting the doctor, now, so you just-!"

She sniffled audibly, and Phoenix belatedly realized that something about the quality of her voice didn't sound quite right. It was weak and nasally, and unusually high pitched. Phoenix reached out with one arm and groped around until he found something soft that went "Eek," when he touched it. Unexpectedly, the thing he touched was slightly damp, which was, for a moment, extremely confusing.

"H-hey," stammered Maya, choking on some kind of cross between a laugh and a sob." Don't do that! You almost stuck your fingers right up my nose."

Suddenly, the dampness made a little more sense. "Wait," asked Nick." Maya, why are you crying?"

"I-I'm sorry," mumbled Maya, her voice shaking unsteadily as she tried to get the words out around the sniffles. She sucked in a sharp breath, choked off another loud sob, and said, "I was so, so scared. I mean, really scared, Nick! Never, ever do that again, got it? I…I mean, it! Don't you dare ever do that to me again, or else I'll-!"

_Or else, _thought Phoenix, a vague memory washing up from somewhere deep in the turbulent and confused seas of his mind. _Or else…? Where have I heard that before? _

Again the door creaked open, and this time Phoenix could hear two sets of footsteps padding across the floor.

"Ah," said a man's voice that Phoenix didn't recognize. "So, you're awake. How do you feel, Mr. Wright?"

_Confused, _thought Phoenix. _I feel…fuzzy. No, that's not a word you use to describe how you feel. I'm…_

"I can't see," he said aloud. "Everything's spinning. I'm dizzy. I think I'm in pain."

"I'm sure you are," agreed the doctor in a low, soothing voice. "Don't worry, you haven't gone blind. You're wearing a thick black cloth over your eyes to help dull some of the more alarming sensations. In a few moments, if you're feeling up to it, I'll remove it."

Phoenix just nodded, then winced and wished he hadn't.

"You've suffered some terrible injuries, Mr. Wright," continued the doctor. "I've administered a great deal of intravenous medication, which should be helping, I hope, to numb the severity of the pain. You've been badly concussed, however, and your brain is quite rattled. You'll be extremely sensitive to light and movement for quite some hours, still. Luckily, all of your cognitive functions seem to be intact. You're a lawyer, aren't you? Well, then that's a great blessing. Your mind is one of your most valuable tools."

It took Phoenix a moment to make sense of all that. One word that the doctor had said stuck out more prominently than the rest, and Phoenix latched onto it.

"Injuries," he mumbled. "What injuries?"

"Oh, Mr. Nick," whispered Pearl. "It was horrible. There was…there was so much blood." She stopped uncertainly, and again, Maya sniffled audibly in the background.

"This may come as a slight shock," announced the doctor, "but try to stay with me, Mr. Wright. You were attacked this morning on your way to your office. Do you remember?"

Slowly, blearily, Phoenix did try to remember. The images of three huge, hulking men swam into his mind. They were leering down at him while he cowered on the ground, curled up in a ball and screaming. In particular, he remembered the screaming.

"Y-yeah," he said, wincing. "Yeah, I…I remember."

"Good," murmured the doctor. "That's very good. Briefly, you've been badly beaten, and you have some very impressive bruising all over your body. Two of your ribs were broken, and you've sustained serious fractures to three of the lumbars in your lower back. Reach down, please, and feel around your waist."

Dutifully, Phoenix did so. For the first time, he realized that there was something hard and made maybe of plastic wrapped around his midsection.

"That," continued the doctor, "is a medical brace. Please don't even think about removing it. It's keeping your back straight enough to allow for basic movement and function. It's also forcing the fractured pieces into alignment. Without it, you'd be in unbelievable torment."

"Oh," was all Phoenix could find to say.

"Yes," agreed the doctor. "You'll need to keep that brace on from the time that you wake up in the morning through to when go to sleep at night until your back has successfully healed. Judging by the severity of your injuries, that could take several months. A lumbar fracture is no joke. Three are decidedly not funny."

_Months? _Phoenix was taken aback. _Wow, that's…I guess that's pretty severe. I feel like I should be in a lot more pain. This painkiller he gave me must be really good stuff. I bet he had to give me a lot. That explains why my head feels so heavy, like I've been drugged. No complaints, though. I'd take this over 'unbelievable torment' any day. _

"Doctor," asked Pearl hesitantly, "um, don't you think this might be a little much for poor Mr. Nick? He just woke up, after all."

"No," muttered Phoenix. "I need to know."

"I'm afraid you do," agreed the doctor. "As I've said, you're not cognitively damaged. It may take some time for everything to clear up in your head, but there's no reason for me to mince words or to treat you like a mental patient. As I understand it, men in your line of work are fond of having all the facts."

Maya giggled nervously. "Yeah," she agreed, sniffling. "That s-sure does sound like our Nick!"

"Unfortunately," the doctor continued in that same calm, inexorable voice, "one of your broken ribs managed to pierce and puncture your left lung. Subsequently, we were forced to operate on an emergency basis. I'm afraid you'll have a nasty scar."

"Scar," repeated Phoenix slowly. "Um…oh well."

"They say that scars can give you character, Mr. Nick," offered Pearl helpfully.

Phoenix, however, wasn't really interested in the scar. He wasn't even really listening. Instead, he was frantically trying to remember as much as he could of what had happened that morning.

_Apparently I'm hurt bad, _he said, taking stock of what he already knew. _ How did I get hurt? I was attacked by three huge men. Why? I don't know. Why would something like that happen? Wait, what was I doing this morning? I was on my way to the office, the doctor says. I'm a lawyer, so those are law offices. The law offices of the Wright Anything Agency. Right, because I'm Phoenix Wright, so those are my offices. Okay, so far, so good. _

"Nick?" Maya sounded concerned. "Hey, earth to Nick! Are you okay?"

_I was on my way to my offices, _thought Phoenix doggedly, _because I had to get some work done. No, it was because…because I had to meet someone. Athena. That's right, I had to meet Athena. Why did I have to meet her? I had already spoken to her on the phone, hadn't I? We talked about a trial. No, we were on our way to a trial. Wait, the trial. The Fairchild trial. That's today. This morning. I was on my way to the Fairchild trial, when…! N-no. NO! But I…I never made it, did I? I never…I never got there._

"Maya," demanded Phoenix suddenly. "What time is it?"

"Huh?" Maya sounded startled. "Oh, it's…it's after two o'clock."

"Two-twenty-six," corrected Pearl quietly. "Oh, PM, not AM."

_That…no, how can that be? _Phoenix was horrified. "But," he mumbled desperately, "the trial. It's…it's already over?"

He could feel himself starting to panic, and that wave of nausea started rising up from his insides again.

"Don't worry, Nick," insisted Maya. "It's okay! You won! The judge found Mr. Fairchild 'Not Guilty.'"

"But," mumbled Phoenix, confused, "how can that be? I…I missed the trial, didn't I? Wait, didn't I?"

"You did, yeah," agreed Maya. "I wasn't there, but Apollo says they called him when you didn't show up. Apparently he started without you, and when Athena got there she had some kind of a photograph of the murder. The photograph pretty clearly showed some other guy doing it. Um...I think Athena said his name was some kind of animal. Rat, maybe, or mouse?"

"Mause," muttered Phoenix. "Tolliver Mause. He..he was the killer? And I proved that?"

"You did, Mr. Nick," Pearl said soothingly. "Or, rather, Apollo and Athena proved it based on that photograph. Mr. Fairchild's free now, so it's okay. You don't have to worry. Everything's all right."

"All...all right," mumbled Phoenix, somehow insanely relieved and terribly confused at the same time. His head was now swimming worse than ever, but one fact stuck in his mind. _Mr. Fairchild is free, _he thought. _We did it. We did it, after all! _

"If you're ready," announced the doctor, "then we're going to try removing your blindfold."

"Um…okay." Phoenix nodded, more gently this time.

"You should be prepared," warned the doctor, "for some unpleasant sensations. Nausea, maybe, or an onset of sudden dizziness. We won't know until you try."

Phoenix shut his eyes, and the doctor deftly removed the blindfold in. Then, taking a deep breath, Phoenix very carefully opened his eyes and blinked a few times in the light.

It was far, far brighter than he'd expected in the room, and as his eyes took their time adjusting to the light level Phoenix squinted, swallowing hard to stave off a sudden rush of nausea. The world was definitely and disturbingly spinning, but a few slow, deep breaths eventually relaxed Phoenix's gag reflex and allowed him to try focusing on his surroundings.

The hospital room wasn't a large one, but it did have two large windows on either side, which were definitely contributing to the brightness problem.

Phoenix himself was apparently lying on some kind of mechanical hospital cot, and there was a dark-haired, stern-faced doctor in a white coat standing at the head of the cot, watching him closely.

Maya was perched on the edge of Phoenix's cot, her face still pale and tearstained from crying. She looked terribly vulnerable and small, and in that moment Phoenix remembered the similarly sad face of a teenage girl who'd he met for the first time on the floor of Mia's face old office, crouched over the body of her beautiful dead sister and crying her heart out in shock.

"Hey," he said gently, reaching out and squeezing Maya's hand.

Maya just sniffled, and made her best attempt at a smile. "Hey yourself," she whispered. Clearing her throat, she straightened up and added in slightly louder voice, "And um, you know, you actually look pretty good, for a sick guy. You make a pretty great mummy, Nick."

Phoenix glanced down at the bandages wrapped around his torso. "Uh…thanks, I think."

Maya forced a laugh, and something twisted hard at Phoenix's heartstrings.

"Mr. Nick," murmured Pearl from over by the window. "I'm..I'm so glad you're okay! We were so worried. I didn't know what to do. If you hadn't woken up, we'd-!"

"It's okay, now," Phoenix assured her, trying to sound as firm and confidant as he could. "I'm going to be fine…eventually. The danger's over, anyway. Thank you for caring, Pearls."

Pearl blinked. "You don't…have to thank me. I-!"

"I suggest that you thank the Detective who saved your life," announced the doctor. "He found you bleeding out at the scene only seconds, apparently, after your attackers left you. He called 911, and you ended up here not a moment too soon. You had a very close shave, Mr. Wright. You might not have lived. By rights, you almost shouldn't have. You lost an incredible amount of blood, and if you'd been left there any longer it might have been over for you."

_Detective Gumshoe, _thought Nick, remembering hearing Gumshoe's voice for a moment before he lost consciousness. _So, he made it after all, only this time, he wasn't quite fast enough. Oh well. I guess we're all getting old and losing our touch. _

"Detective Gumshoe's really broken up about it," Maya informed him. "He keeps saying that it was 'all his fault.' He'll be so happy that you're awake, Nick."

"All his fault?" Phoenix frowned. "How's that?"

"He was following you," explained Maya. "Detective Gumshoe, I mean. He says Mr. Edgeworth called him yesterday and ordered him to tail you as soon as you left home this morning. He was supposed to leave at six o'clock, but apparently Maggey couldn't find her shoes, or something, and he got a late start. By the time he got to your apartment, you were already gone. He saw you and those three guys when he was on his way to catch up with you at your office."

"Edgeworth, huh?" Phoenix just shook his head, then winced as the motion made him dizzy. "So…he knew all along. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Nothing gets past Edgeworth."

"We tried calling Mr. Edgeworth's office, but he didn't pick up," continued Maya. "So, Detective Gumshoe drove over to the courthouse to get him. That was a while ago, so they should be back soon."

_What? Uh oh. _Vague alarm bells began going off in Phoenix's mind. _No…no, I can't let him see me like this. And…Trucy. What about Trucy?_

He'd just opened his mouth to ask the question when the door suddenly slammed open so hard that Phoenix heard it ricochet off the wall.

"D-Daddy," cried Trucy, rushing over to his bedside. She threw her arms around him, and he winced and bit down hard on his lip as his entire body ached dully in savagely painful protest.

"Trucy," began Pearl warningly.

Phoenix just shook his head. "It's fine," he rasped, gingerly wrapping his arms around Trucy and forcing himself to smile through the pain. "Doesn't hurt much. Daddy's okay. Hey come on, don't cry. See? I'm all right."

Trucy sniffled, then slowly released him and straightened up. "I'm hurting you, aren't I," she accused him. "You're a terrible liar, you know. I'm…I'm sorry, Daddy."

"I said it's fine," insisted Phoenix." Okay, so maybe it does hurt a little, but what father doesn't enjoy a hug from his daughter, painful or not? I'm just glad you're okay."

"Parenting," murmured Maya thoughtfully from the edge of the cot. "I think you're getting the hang of it, Nick."

"S-so, you're awake, pal." Detective Gumshoe looked incredibly relieved. "Uh, how you feeling?"

Phoenix though about that for a moment. "Not that bad," he decided after a second. "Could be a lot worse, I guess. I hear that I have you to thank for that, Detective."

Gumshoe cleared his throat uncomfortably. "W-well, sorta. I mean…uh, look, I'm just glad you're alive, pal. Let's…let's just leave it at that, for now, okay? A-anyway, you look good! I mean, uh…you look better than I expected. Um. Nevermind."

"Nick's a real survivor," replied Maya proudly, dashing a few tears out of her eyes and giving Gumshoe the first genuine smile that Phoenix had seen from her since he'd woken up. "A few bruises aren't going to get him down for long. I bet he'll be back in the courtroom in no time at all, right, Mr. Edgeworth?"

Edgeworth, however, wasn't smiling. He didn't look even remotely relieved. His face had gone completely white, and his lips were set in a thin, hard line. He was standing stiff as a board, uncomfortably hunched with both fists clenched, and as Phoenix watched, he realized that Edgeworth's whole frame was trembling very slightly, as though with barely contained emotion.

"Wh-what ," demanded Edgeworth, "is the meaning of this? Wright? You...you…!"

_Oh boy, _thought Phoenix, wincing. _Yep. It's as bad as I thought it'd be._

"Mr. Edgeworth," prompted Pearl. ""Aren't you going to tell Mr. Nick how glad you are that he's okay? After all, he is your 'special someone,' isn't he? Aren't you happy to see him?"

Edgeworth remained stonily silent, never taking his bloodshot eyes off of Phoenix's face.

"Uh, Mr. Edgeworth," began Gumshoe uncertainly. "Hey, pal, are you…?"

Phoenix tried to prop himself up on his elbows, realized that it hurt to much, and ended up flopping awkwardly over onto his side.

"Um, hey, listen," he said." I'm sorry everybody, but do you mind giving me and Edgeworth a few minutes?"

At first, nobody moved. Then Trucy nodded, leaned over and kissed her father on the forehead.

"Okay, Daddy," she said brightly. "We'll be right outside if you need us. Come on, Pearl. Let's get a soda. Oh, let's get one for Daddy, too. Wait…are people on painkillers allowed to have sugar?"

"Well, I think the problem might be the caffeine," suggested Pearl as they left the room together.

"Okay, pal," agreed Gumshoe, shooting one last, wary look at Mr. Edgeworth. "See you later, I guess."

The doctor just shrugged and followed Gumshoe out. After a moment's hesitation, Maya joined them, leaving Phoenix and Edgeworth alone in the room.

"Listen," began Phoenix slowly. "Edgeworth, it's not as bad as it looks. Sure, I'm a little beaten up, but the doctor says that I'm going to be all better in a few months. There wasn't any cognitive damage, apparently, so it's just my bones that are broken. I've had plenty of broken bones before. Bones heal. See? I'm just fine."

"Fine," repeated Edgeworth, shaking his head. "Fine…? You…you are most certainly not 'fine,' Wright."

"Yeah, okay," agreed Phoenix, "but what I mean is that I'm going to be-!"

"Spare me," snapped Edgeworth, scowling. "I'm no longer interested in your placatory nonsense. Just look at yourself!"

A muscle in Edgeworth's cheek kept spasming, and Phoenix thought he could feel the blood in his heart pumping in time with that telling little twitch.

"Hey," demanded Phoenix. "Come here."

Edgeworth didn't move.

"Please," Phoenix insisted. "Just…just come sit with me for a second."

He wriggled over as far as he could and patted the space beside him on the cot. Slowly, reluctantly Edgeworth walked over and sat down on the very edge, right by Phoenix's head. Phoenix reached for him, but found that his angle on the cot posed a problem.

He snorted a frustrated little laugh. "Oh, jeez. I want to hold you, but I can't sit up. This…isn't exactly how I planned this to go."

Edgeworth just shook his head. "To think that I could have allowed this to happen," he muttered.

"It's not your fault," insisted Phoenix, aware that it was useless but uncertain what else there was to say. "You couldn't have known. I lied to you, remember? This one's on me."

Edgeworth dismissed that with a peremptory wave of the hand. "Ridiculous," he mumbled. "Of course I knew. I may not have been aware of the specific nature of the danger you were in, but you're alarmingly transparent at times. You were terrified for your daughter's life. Anyone could have seen that. Mere parental misgivings did not account for your behavior. Wright, I knew, and yet…" He glanced over at the bandage on Phoenix's chest, winced, and then turned away. "And yet, here you are."

"You called Gumshoe on me," Phoenix reminded him. "If it hadn't been for you, I'd probably-!"

"Tell me this," demanded Edgeworth, apparently not really listening to Phoenix's protests. "How severe are your injuries?"

For a moment, Phoenix hesitated, wondering how much he dared soften the blow.

"It has been many years," said Edgeworth quietly, "since I have seen Maya cry. You will tell me, and you will not lie to me again. How badly are you injured, Wright?"

Phoenix sighed. _It's no use, _he realized. _Edgeworth will probably just ask the doctor to confirm anything I say. I can't bluff my way out of this one._

"I'm hurt pretty bad," he admitted finally. "I've got broken ribs and three fractures in my back. Apparently there was a lot of blood. The doctor says that if Gumshoe hadn't showed up when he did, I'd probably have bled to death."

Edgeworth sucked in a long, slow breath. "I…I see," he whispered.

For what felt like a terrible eternity, neither of them said anything.

Suddenly, Edgeworth crumpled, collapsing in on himself like a broken toy, his shoulders sagging and his whole body shaking uncontrollably as he buried his face in his hands.

"I…I'm sorry," he managed hoarsely. "Wright, I…"

There was nothing Phoenix could do. There was nothing left to be said, and he couldn't even reach out to comfort Edgeworth. That same cold, terrible fist of dread clamped down around Phoenix's heart, and no amount of intravenous painkiller could have made it hurt any less.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

I have to spend the rest of the day actually getting things accomplished.

In the meantime, however, I found a wonderful story that I think you'll really enjoy!

It's by **ShotgunShujaa, **and it's called **Missing Pieces. **It's a beautiful snapshot of Phoenix and Edgeworth's relationship, shown through their struggles with certain forms of sweetly intimate physicality. You'll love it, I promise you, and when you do love it, please (please) take the time to write a review.


	25. At Last, My Turnabout - Twenty Four

**Author's Note: **I had to listen to some sad songs to put myself in the mood for this one.

That leads me to a reader response question! This is honestly something that I'm really curious about.

What song (or songs) make you think of the Phoenix/Edgeworth pairing?

I've got a whole long list of them. Feel free to message me if you want to know some of mine!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Four : Restless Heart Syndrome – Part Two**

**December 2, 2028**

**The Middle of the Night**

**Phoenix's Hospital Room**

Sometime in the middle of the night, the medicine finally wore off.

Phoenix swam blearily out of a pain-soaked nightmare to discover to his horror that he couldn't breathe.

The pain in his chest and limbs was so intense that just inhaling was too much to bear. For a terrible moment he lay there on his back in shock, trying desperately to make sense of the dim surroundings, the starlight coming in through the four huge hospital windows and the pounding, desperate, fiery sensation spreading outward through his body. He felt like screaming, but when he opened his mouth, no sound came out.

_Help, _he thought as the world spun and his lungs and chest seared like they were being gored by a bull. _Help. Someone, help! I'm…_

"Nick?" Suddenly Maya's small, wide-eyed face was there in the dark, and Phoenix reached out to her desperately, gasping and flailing in panic.

"Maya," he hissed, "It…it hurts. Oh god, it hurts!"

He felt like he was going to be sick again, which was ridiculous because there was nothing in his stomach. The cot swayed underneath him, and he grabbed on tightly to the edges and squirmed miserably, trying to find some way to cool the ache.

"I'll get the doctor," said Edgeworth from somewhere else in the room. Out of the corner of his eye, Phoenix saw a blurred shadow pass in front of the cot and then out the door, which closed gently behind it, leaving Phoenix and Maya alone.

"It's gonna be okay, Nick," insisted Maya, grabbing hold of both of his hands. "Mr. Edgeworth will be back soon with the doctor. We'll get you some more pain medicine. Hang in there, okay?"

Phoenix just nodded and kept sucking in agonizing, shallow breaths. "Edgeworth," he managed eventually. "He's…he's here, too?"

"Uh huh." Maya nodded. "We've both been here since you fell asleep. Don't you remember?"

Phoenix realized that he didn't remember anything from the past few hours. He couldn't actually remember falling asleep.

"Oh, well." Maya just shrugged. "The doctor said that might happen. Something about how the shock was gonna be a problem. I guess I should get used to that, though. After all, you are getting kind of old. This kind of memory loss thing is probably gonna start happening more and more often, now. Maybe we should get you one of those special planner applications for your phone to help you remember what you did today, and what you ate for breakfast, and stuff like that."

Maya grinned, and Phoenix knew that she was teasing him to try and cheer him up. He wanted to smile, but when he tried all that he managed to do was grimace, cough, and shudder. Maya's face fell instantly, and she started looking genuinely worried.

"It's really bad, huh?" She bit her lip, and Phoenix just nodded. Maya turned pale, and her lip starting quivering as though she might start crying again.

"I'm…I'm okay," gasped Phoenix unconvincingly. "Don't…don't worry. Everything's gonna be…fine."

"Y-yeah," agreed Maya, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I know. I mean, of course it is! It's just like I said. You're the famous Phoenix Wright! Nothing can keep you down for long. You fall off burning bridges and get beaten up by groups of huge, horrible man, but you always get back up! Right?"

This time, Phoenix couldn't say anything. He was busy dealing with another pain wave, this time in his lower back. He arched his back to try and get away from the pain, but that, of course, only made the problem worse, and he moaned miserably.

"Nick," whispered Maya insistently. "Promise me. Promise me you're always gonna get back up."

_Right now I can barely lie down, _thought Phoenix. _Let's…agh, let's not get ahead of ourselves, okay?_

Maya sat down on the edge of Phoenix's cot and folded her hands in her lap. "I keep picturing it over and over in my head," she mumbled. "My…my sister's death, I mean. I keep seeing her propped up against the wall in her office, bleeding and horrible and cold. I can't stop seeing it, Nick. Every time I close my eyes, she's there. It's been that way ever since they wheeled you in to the operating room, and you were bleeding from everywhere, and you looked…" She stopped, sniffled, and then continued a little shakily, "you looked just like her. You looked like you were gone. I can't go through it again, Nick. I can't. I can't lose anyone else. I'm not a stoic. I'm not a strong person. I don't want to try to be one ever again."

Suddenly, the wisecracking Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique was gone, and Maya was again the scared little girl from witness box, watching with tears in her eyes, trying to grieve for her sister while Miles Edgeworth methodically tore her apart.

"Everyone that I've ever loved is gone, Nick," mumbled Maya. "Everyone but you and Pearl. You're all I have. You two are my whole world. Without you, I'd…I don't know what I'd do. You can't ever leave me, got it?"

Phoenix nodded. "Not gonna die this time," he managed making another feeble attempt at a smile.

Maya just shook her head. "Not this time or anytime. Promise me that you're always going to come back."

Taking the deepest breath he could, Phoenix forced himself to meet Maya's eyes.

"I…promise," he told her seriously. "I will…always be there for you. Don't be scared. It's…it's gonna be okay."

He reached out and wiped away a tear that was starting to fall down Maya's cheek. She nodded, sniffled aggressively, and sucked in a breath.

"Okay," she said." Just…just remember that you promised. I guess you'd better start taking better care of yourself, cause I'll be angry if you break your promise. You know how we Fey women are when we get angry. It's not pretty."

"That's…for sure," agreed Phoenix. Maya raised an eyebrow at him, and this time he flashed her quick grin. She almost smiled, looking obviously relieved.

From the doorway, Edgeworth cleared his throat. "The doctor is here," he announced.

Without waiting on any further ceremony, the doctor strode across the room to Phoenix's bed, and Maya jumped down to make room for him.

"Awake again, I see," said the doctor. "How do you feel?"

"A-agh," mumbled Phoenix.

"Hah. Yes, that's about what I expected," snorted the doctor. "All right, hold still. This might sting a little bit."

Taking hold of Phoenix's right arm, the doctor deftly located a vein and inserted a needle beneath the skin. Phoenix shut his eyes and did his best to hold still as the pain medicine flowed into and through his bloodstream.

"Well done, Mr. Wright," said the doctor approvingly. "That's a fast-acting drug, so you should start feeling at least a bit less terrible in a matter of minutes. I'd offer you a sedative to help you get back to sleep, but we can't go around giving sedating drugs to men with concussions, so for tonight you'll have to do your best without one."

Removing the needle, the doctor laid Phoenix's arm gently back down on the cot.

"I'm going off duty in an hour," he announced, turning to Edgeworth. "If you need assistance, call for the nurse. If there's a real emergency, they'll call me. Goodnight."

With that, he left the room. Phoenix was already starting to feel the effects of the drug, which was mercifully numbing the pain in his chest, allowing him to breathe freely again. After the several minutes of agony he'd just endured, just breathing felt like a beautiful luxury, and he enjoyed it in silence for several long moments.

"I'm…gonna go to the bathroom," declared Maya. "I, um, need to clean up a little."

"I'll be here," Edgeworth assured her. "There's no hurry."

As Maya left the room, Edgeworth pulled one of the plastic chairs over to the edge of Phoenix's cot.

"Phoenix opened his eyes. "You've been here the whole time, huh, Edgeworth?"

Edgeworth nodded. "We've been monitoring in shifts. Your two subordinates arrived after you fell asleep to relieve Detective Gumshoe and Trucy. When Justice and Cykes got tired, Maya and Pearl took over for a time."

"But you," insisted Phoenix. "You've been here the whole time, right?"

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth. "I have."

Edgeworth fell silent again, and Phoenix couldn't quite make out his face in the dark.

"I can't see you," he said.

"There's nothing to see," retorted Edgeworth. "I'm afraid that I haven't been home since you were last awake. I am, subsequently, a slightly more disheveled picture of the last condition in which you saw me. Hardly remarkable."

"Come here," begged Phoenix. "Please."

Edgeworth sighed. "I suppose one must humor an invalid," he muttered. "Very well."

He stood up and then re-seated himself on the edge of Phoenix's cot. Phoenix captured one of Edgeworth's hands and brought it to his lips, kissing Edgeworth's fingertips in a repeat of the same little gesture that Edgeworth had employed that morning.

"Wright," mumbled Edgeworth, gently pulling his hand away. "Don't."

"Why?" Phoenix frowned. "I thought you said you were going to humor me."

At first, Edgeworth didn't reply.

"Tell me what happened,' he demanded suddenly. "I want to know everything that you've spent the last few weeks concealing from me. Slowly, please, and in as much detail as you can manage. At this point, I believe it's my right to know."

_I don't know about 'right,' _thought Phoenix, but there didn't seem to be any more point in hiding things.

Taking a deep breath and enjoying the free, almost painless feeling in his lungs, Phoenix told Edgeworth about the first client who'd run screaming when he'd realized that Phoenix was the lawyer from the tabloid article, and about the second client who'd been terrified of getting close enough for Phoenix to touch. He described the first time that he'd caught people trying to catch a glimpse through the windows of his office, and the way they pointed and whispered to each other when he and Apollo went around the corner for lunch. He even told Edgeworth about the emails, the threats of "OR ELSE," and of the repeated demands to "make the right decision."

"They said 'some crimes are against nature,'" he muttered bitterly. "Something about how I was supposed to 'absolve myself of my sin' by losing this case."

Edgeworth nodded. "Your 'sin,' no doubt, referred to your preference for male lovers."

Phoenix risked a smile. "It's not a preference for 'male lovers,'" he insisted. "It's a preference for you. Remember, I'm pretty equal opportunity when it comes to men or women."

He'd been hoping to make Edgeworth smile, or at least to get him to blush, but Edgeworth only set his lips in a hard line, and nodded once.

"I know that," he muttered. "I'm fully aware of the fact that these difficulties have arisen as a consequence of your relationship with me; a relationship, by the way, which I both initiated and encouraged. I haven't forgotten."

"Hey," began Phoenix quickly. "Look, that's not what I meant. I was just trying to-!"

"Why?" Edgeworth looked down into Phoenix's eyes. "I don't understand. How could you allow this state of affairs to continue? You had every opportunity to deny the association. You had every chance to refute the arguments in the tabloids, to make at least a concerted effort to regain your former reputation and to stop the barrage of vitriolic nonsense that you have apparently been forced to combat, and yet, you did nothing. You made no attempts. You made no protests. You refused even to share the burden with me, despite the fact that I am without a doubt the crux and root cause of everything you've had to endure thus far. Why, Wright? I need to know."

_You don't really have to ask, _thought Phoenix. _You must already know. _

"I'm not ashamed," said Phoenix aloud, shrugging. "I wanted to show you that. I didn't want you to ever feel like you had to be ashamed, either."

Edgeworth glanced down at his own hands, and nodded to himself. "A gift, then. I see."

"Huh?" Phoenix frowned. "What-?"

"It's exactly as I said before," continued Edgeworth, apparently no longer listening to Phoenix. "You do nothing but give. Constantly, selflessly, needlessly, you give, even to your own detriment. You never change, Wright."

"It's…not like that exactly," insisted Phoenix. "It wasn't…charity, or anything. Edgeworth, I really wanted to be with you."

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "Y-yes," he mumbled. "I know that. I…"

He stopped, clearly confused, and something about what he hadn't finished saying reminded Phoenix of the conversation they'd started to have in the bedroom that morning.

"Hey," he began. "What was it you were trying to tell me this morning?"

"What?" Edgeworth glanced over at him, confused.

"Um…" Phoenix tried to remember Edgeworth's exact words. "You were telling me that 'despite the urgings of common sense, you were just beginning to…' something. Then my alarm went off and we never finished talking. What were you trying to say? Looks like I've got plenty of time to listen, now."

"Th-that," mumbled Edgeworth, his face contorting slightly, like he was almost in pain. "No, it doesn't matter anymore."

Something about the tone of Edgeworth's voice had subtly changed, and Phoenix could feel his heart starting to pound a little faster in his chest as he realized belatedly that something was very, very wrong. The painkillers were working their magic and reducing the agony, but they were also making Phoenix feel fuzzier and duller by the moment.

"H-hey, Edgeworth," began Phoenix.

Edgeworth stood up, straightened his shoulders and turned towards the door.

"I should be going," he announced. "Maya will, of course, return shortly, and the nurse is easily available. You won't be alone or in any danger."

"Wait, you're leaving?" Phoenix tried to catch Edgeworth by the arm as he passed the cot.

Unexpectedly, Edgeworth recoiled from Phoenix's touch as though Phoenix had tried to strike him. "I-I have to. I'm sorry. In a few hours, I'll need to be in the office. As I said, you'll be just fine without me."

_No, _thought Phoenix frantically, _I won't. I don't want to be fine without you. Come back. _He couldn't explain exactly why, but he'd started to sweat, and alarm bells were now ringing in his dizzy, bleary head.

"Edgeworth," he begged. "You'll come back, right? I mean, tomorrow, or maybe the day after. I'm gonna get better. I might even be able to sit up, soon."

"I hope so," murmured Edgeworth, swallowing hard and now refusing to meet Phoenix's eyes. "I…I wish you an extremely speedy recovery. No doubt, as Maya says, you'll be back on your feet in a very short amount of time."

Edgeworth was halfway out the door, now, and Phoenix forced himself up onto his elbows, ignoring the searing pain in his chest as he tried desperately to catch Edgeworth's eye.

"Edgeworth," he insisted.

"Goodbye, Wright," mumbled Edgeworth. "Rest well."

With that he left the room, the door still half-open behind him.

"Edgeworth," called Phoenix. "Edgeworth... Edgeworth! MILES!"

There was no response. Edgeworth's footsteps echoed quickly down the hall and then disappeared. Finally unable to hold himself up any longer, Phoenix collapsed back onto the bed.

"Damnit," he mumbled helplessly, covering his face with his hands.

A few seconds later, Maya came back in, a little piece of paper towel still stuck to her nose.

"Huh? Nick?" Frowning, she looked around. "Wasn't Mr. Edgeworth here? Where did he go?"

Feeling too dull inside to be miserable, Phoenix gestured vaguely at the door.

"He's gone," he muttered. "Edgeworth's gone."

Even as he heard himself say the words, Phoenix knew with awful, aching certainty that it was true.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **So while we're on the subject of music, the title of this chapter is kind of misleading. It's a carry-over from the last chapter, hence the repeat title, but the song that I listened to while I wrote it was actually "Say Something" by "Great Big World."

So tell me, what Miles/Phoenix songs do you listen to? Let's get all of our suggestions together and make a playlist!


	26. At Last, My Turnabout - Twenty Five

**Author's Note: **Wow, you guys gave me an impressive and wonderful setof songs for our Phoenix/Edgeworth playlist! I'm compiling all of your suggestions into a list right now, and I'll share it with my next update. When I do, I may even have a challenge for those of you who are willing to accept it, so stay tuned, and thanks for all of your help!  
While we're on the subject of inspiration, however, I have another question. Listening to music can be a wonderful way to get into the mood for writing, but they say (some of them, anyway) that a picture can be worth a thousand words.

What is your favorite piece of Phoenix/Edgeworth fan art? Where can we find it, and who created it? I know we can't link on ffnet, so if you give me the artist's name and the basic site information, I can probably google search it.

I"ll be using this information for a challenge, too...

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Five: Merry Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)**

**December 25, 2028**

**10:00 AM**

**The Wright Anything Agency Offices**

It rarely snowed in the city of Los Angeles. Instead, it rained. Phoenix sat back in the brand new reclining office chair that Athena and Apollo had purchased as an early Christmas gift for their invalid boss, adjusted his back brace and watched the downpour soaking the street corner just outside his window.

Sappy Christmas music was playing softly on the radio, just like it did every year, but Phoenix wasn't really listening to it.

For maybe the hundredth time since he'd gotten out of the hospital only a few days before, Phoenix picked up his cell phone and dialed Edgeworth's personal number. As always, the phone rang a few times and then went straight to voicemail.

Phoenix cleared his throat.

"Hey," he said. "Um, yeah, it's me, Nick…again. I don't know if you actually listen to any of these messages, and…no, actually, I'm pretty sure you don't, but I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. I hope you're not in the office, but I know you probably are. At least try to get out and do something fun, today. Drive safe, though. It's…uh, it's raining. Of course you already knew that. Right."

He paused, sighed, and ran his hands through his hair, imagining Edgeworth sitting in his office and typing away at his computer, completely ignoring the messages piling up in his inbox.

"I wish we could talk," Phoenix said helplessly. "I, uh…I miss you. A-anyway, I guess that's all."

Not sure what else there was to say, he hung up the phone, shoved it back into his pocket, and took a deep breath. His chest twinged and he reached into his desk drawer to get the little bottle of painkiller that the doctor had prescribed.

"Daddy?" Trucy stuck her head around the office door. "Someone's here to see you."

Phoenix stood up carefully, wincing a little as his battered bones all protested the sudden movement at once. "Oh yeah? Wouldn't be the first time we've had a client on Christmas Day."

Trucy just shook her head. "It's not a client! It's a visitor. Come, see. I think you'll be surprised!"

Phoenix left the office door open behind him and followed Trucy back into the foyer, where he found a hunched man in long black robes seated on the sofa and gazing out the window.

As Phoenix approached, the man turned around, smiled, and stood up.

"Ah, Mr. Wright," said the judge, nodding pleasantly. "I hope you don't mind my intruding like this."

"Y-your Honor," stammered Phoenix, straightening his shoulders and doing his best to stand to attention. "I…no, no, of course I don't mind. It's an, uh…an honor, sir."

The judge just laughed, and shook his head kindly. "No need for that. We aren't in the courthouse, after all, although I am due there in an hour or so. I was on my way past your office, and I thought I'd stop in and see how you were doing. We've all been quite worried about you, you know. It's good to see you up and about. My wife will be thrilled."

_Your wife? _Phoenix frowned. _I don't think I've ever met your wife. Uh, of course, it's nice to know that she's thinking of me, I guess. _

"Thank you, sir," said Phoenix. "I'm looking forward to getting back to work as soon as possible."

The judge just nodded. "I'm sure you are. You never do seem to give yourself a break. I suppose if we look at it in a certain way, this hospital stay might be considered a long-needed vacation."

Phoenix blinked. _N-no, not exactly, _he thought. _If that's what you call a vacation, then I think I'll pass for the rest of my life. Every aching bone in my body would definitely rather have been at work. __  
_

"It was a shame that you weren't able to come and see the trial last week," continued the judge conversationally. "We found your three attackers guilty, of course. It wasn't a very long trial. The feeling in the courtroom that day was overwhelmingly in your favor. You've become quite a 'fan favorite,' among the trial-goers, you know.

"Thank you, sir," muttered Phoenix. "I was only discharged a few days ago. Maybe it's for the best that I wasn't there."

Somewhere, a cell phone rang, and Trucy rushed off to answer it.

The judge nodded. "Mr. Edgeworth insisted on prosecuting the case himself," he said, his eyes wide as he eagerly recounted the story. "You should have seen it, Mr. Wright. I have known that man for many years, ever since he began his career as a prosecutor, and I can tell you with complete candor that I have never, ever seen anything like the performance he gave in court the other day. It was the most fiery and spirited prosecution I've ever had the privilege to witness. Mr. Edgeworth was like a fury on the path of vengeance. There was something terrible in his eyes that would have struck fear into the heart of any criminal. I must tell you that even my heart skipped a few beats. Come to think of it, it probably wasn't good for me. I'm not as young as I used to be, you know."

_Edgeworth, _thought Phoenix. _It's true, he can be pretty scary when he wants to be. I guess maybe he let himself get just a little 'too close' to this case after all._

"Yeah," muttered Phoenix. "Yeah, I heard about that."

"You'll have to thank him when you see him next," suggested the judge. "I really do miss the days of having the two of you on opposite sides of the courtroom. Oh, I know, we have some wonderful new prosecutors and some promising young defense attorneys, especially that Miss Cykes and Mr. Justice of yours, but I guess there's nothing wrong with mourning the loss of the good old days. It can't be helped. Ah, but now I'm just boring you with an old man's ramblings."

"Not at all, sir," murmured Phoenix, who'd stopped listening a long time ago. He was too busy thinking about Edgeworth, trying to imagine the scene that the judge had described. He had a very hard time picturing Edgeworth behind the prosecution's bench, passionate, unguarded and furious. Phoenix himself could only remember having ever seen Edgeworth behaving rationally and calmly int he courtroom, succumbing only very rarely to brief moments of annoyance or frustration but never for very long. In the courtroom, Edgeworth was an irritatingly calm and rational rock of objective justice. It had always been that way.

_But I've seen him passionate and uncontrolled outside of the courtroom, _Phoenix reminded himself, remembering the night that Edgeworth had driven him and Trucy home from the courthouse, and he'd subsequently begged Edgeworth to stay. He remembered the intense and ardent way that Edgeworth had responded to his touch that night, and the memory was somehow both a pleasant and a painful one at the same time. Phoenix's face felt suddenly hot, and something in his heart did a horrible, sickening flop. _Agh, _he thought, _no, don't think about that. Get it together, Phoenix. Now's not the time!_

He couldn't help wondering miserably if there would ever be another time.

"Well," sighed the judge, "duty calls, I'm afraid. There's an allegedly vicious murderer up for trial in a few minutes, and I need a cup of coffee before I'm forced to sit through another series of misguided cross-examinations by the eager young Mr. John E. Law. I'm very glad to see you're doing better, Mr. Wright. Hopefully you'll be behind the bench again soon, hmm?"

"Thank you, Your Honor." Phoenix forced a smile. "I appreciate it. Ah, Um, good luck with those cross-examinations."

He saw the judge to the door, and then watched for a moment as the older man meandered down the street at his own leisurely pace.

"Well, that was nice of him," he sighed. "Wasn't it, Trucy?"

Trucy, however, made no response. Phoenix turned around and discovered that she wasn't there. "Trucy?"

He listened for a moment to the faint sound of frantic typing coming from his private office, and opened the door to find Trucy perched in his new chair, staring unhappily at the computer screen.

_Uh oh, _he thought.

Trucy must have heard him come in behind her, because she suddenly glanced over her shoulder, squeaked, and slammed the laptop screen closed. "D-Daddy! I thought you were with His Honor!"

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "What is it, now? More from that tabloid site?"

"Um…" Trucy bit her lip. "D-don't' worry. It's nothing, really!"

_Then how come you're trying so hard to keep me from seeing it? _Phoenix frowned, reached around Trucy and opened up the laptop again.

"Daddy!" Desperately, Trucy interposed herself between him and the computer. "Um, you…you really don't need to see this. Please, it's Christmas. We're supposed to be happy, today! Let's go do something fun, okay? Daddy, please, don't look. Please? Just leave it alone."

Now, Phoenix was really worried. _I've never her seen her get this worked up, _he thought. _Whatever it says, it must be pretty bad, huh?__ Who does Myriam Scuttlebutt have me paired up with, this time? _

This time, the headline at the top of the page said;

**EXCLUSIVE: HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM 'L.A. NEWS OF THE WEIRD!' **

For once, the photograph below the headline was nothing shocking, or scandalous. Instead it was a very small, almost thumbnail-sized photograph of Myriam Scuttlebutt herself, her face and figure almost entirely hidden by a large but clearly brand-new and well-kept cardboard packing crate.

Beneath the photograph was a long block of italicized text, which read as follows;

_To all my dear, beloved readers; merry Christmas! Today is Christmas Day, a day of love and joy, of giving and receiving. With the spirit of Christmas in mind, today I'd like to offer you a few things. First, I'd like to offer you an apology._

"Huh…?" Phoenix was surprised. "An apology? That's sort of uncharacteristically generous, isn't it?"

Trucy shrugged miserably.

_A few weeks ago, _the article continued, _I posted this photograph:_

Below that line was the photograph taken in Edgeworth's office, showing Phoenix and Edgeworth aggressively kissing against the office door.

Phoenix winced.

_But, _the article went on, _I've recently learned from an incredibly reliable source that this photograph is actually a FAKE. A good journalist never reveals the source of her information, but it has come to my attention that this photograph was photo-edited before being sent to me. For those of you who don't know, these two men are Mr. Phoenix Wright of the Wright Anything Legal Agency, and District Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. I have a lot of good reasons to be positive that the event shown in this photograph NEVER TOOK PLACE, and that the alleged sexual relationship between these two men was nothing more than a nasty fabrication. _

_I'll make myself clear; as far as I know, these two men are not and have never been involved in a sexual relationship. I owe both men an apology for rumor-mongering and spreading character-damaging lies, although I want to assure you on my honor a journalist that I had no idea the picture was a fake when I first published it. I'd also like to apologize to you, the reader, for misleading you into believing a story that has turned out to be as far as possible from the truth. It was never my intention to tell you a pack of lies, and in the future, I'm going to be a lot more careful!_

Phoenix's jaw dropped. "Wha…WHAAAAAAAT?"

Trucy flinched. "I thought you'd say that."

He shook his head, bewildered. "I…no, I just don't get it. Why would she write this? She knows the photograph wasn't a fake, because I'm positive she took that picture herself. What, so she suddenly had a crisis of conscience and decided to take it all back? Why? It doesn't make sense!"

Trucy just pointed dejectedly at the computer screen. "I guess you have to read the next part," she said.

Phoenix began reading again.

_But, dear readers, _the article went on, _don't despair! It's Christmas, after all, and while I'm in a giving mood, I have a Christmas scoop for all of you! I was lucky enough this week to get to speak face-to-face with the District Chief Prosecutor himself, the strikingly, almost dangerously handsome Mr. Miles Edgeworth. Here for your reading pleasure I have a one-time-only exclusive interview with the man himself, in which Mr. Edgeworth reveals the whole truth behind the photographs, the rumors and the secrets of his personal, sexual escapades. Here is a full, verbatim transcript of the question and answer session that Mr. Edgeworth and I held here in this room only a few hours ago! This is some really, really juicy stuff! You won't be disappointed, so sit back, relax, and get ready to be shocked!_

The rest of the article consisted of one very long transcript of an interview between Scuttlebutt and, apparently, Edgeworth. All of Scuttlebutt's questions were focused around Edgeworth's homosexuality, his relationships with other men, and his alleged romantic attachment to Phoenix himself. Scuttlebutt was almost disgustingly thorough with her questions, and in the course of the interview she had Edgeworth tell her every little detail about "The Back Door club," and list every clandestine sexual encounter he'd had there, although Edgeworth, always the gentleman, absolutely refused to give any of his former partners' real names.

As Phoenix read the article he felt like he was watching a train wreck. The pain in his chest was getting worse by the second, and his mouth had gone completely dry, but despite the horror of what he was reading he couldn't bring himself to put the article down. As he read, he pictured the dejected look on Edgeworth's face when Edgeworth had finally told Phoenix the truth about the club and about the men that he'd met there. Phoenix could still see the disgust and self-loathing in Edgeworth's eyes. Edgeworth had barely been able to share the truth about that club with Phoenix, and now here he was, telling Scuttlebutt and therefore the whole morbidly curious world every detail about a part of himself that Phoenix knew Edgeworth still hadn't quite come to accept. Phoenix could almost feel the shame that Edgeworth must have been feeling, could almost taste the bitter horror in his mouth. The pain that he knew Edgeworth must have endured during that interview was so real that for Phoenix it was almost visceral. He felt so sick inside he could barely stand it.

"Why," he whispered. "Edgeworth…WHY?"

Swallowing hard against the ugly, miserable things inside, Phoenix forced himself to read the end of the article. It read as follows;

_EDITOR; Mr. Edgeworth, I just have one more question for you. I'd like to address the recent confusion about your relationship with Mr. Phoenix Wright, the famous defense attorney. _

_EDGEWORTH: There is nothing to address. There was and is no relationship._

_EDITOR: But how can that be? I know that I've personally seen the two of you together in public an awful lot, lately!_

_EDGEWORTH: Mr. Wright and I have been colleagues for many years. Over the course of that time, we have become necessarily companionable. It is not unusual for us to meet one another at various social functions, but that is the extent of the relationship. There is not now, nor has there ever been anything further between us. That is all I have to say on the subject._

Phoenix read that last part over and over again. It felt like a knife was twisting its way into his chest every time he read it, but he kept perversely forcing himself to go over it again.

"Daddy," whispered Trucy. "Are you okay?"

"I just…I don't get it," mumbled Phoenix, shaking his head slowly. "I…no, I can't believe it. Why would Edgeworth do something like this? It…it's not like him, at all! It makes no sense! I can't-!"

But even as he said the words, Phoenix realized that he really already knew what had happened. _There's only one thing that could explain this, _he thought. _There's only one reason why Edgeworth would give a sordid personal interview like this. I wish I could believe that it wasn't the case, but…_

"He made a deal with her," said Phoenix aloud, shaking his head in disbelief. "He made an exchange. That's the only way that any of this makes sense."

Trucy just looked confused. "A deal? What kind of a deal?"

Shutting the computer with a snap, Phoenix turned away and massaged his temples with both hands. ""Edgeworth's a very smart man," he muttered. "He's calculating. He knows how to use someone's weakness to get what he wants. He must have offered Scuttlebutt an exclusive interview about his personal life in exchange for her promising to say that the photograph of the two of us was a fake. He knew that she couldn't refuse a juicy story, so he told her he'd give her one if she promised to take back all the stuff she'd said about me. He's trying to clear my name. It's…actually, now that I think about it, it's exactly like something Edgeworth would do."

"Oh." Trucy sighed. "He's really is a good person, isn't he?"

_Yeah, but...this is all wrong, _thought Phoenix. _All of this is horribly, horribly wrong. I wanted to make him feel safe. I didn't want him to ever have to feel ashamed of who he is, and now…this. I…I don't know how to fix this. I don't know what I'm supposed to do, now. I...GAH! _

Phoenix rested his head on his desk, ignoring the screaming pain his back while Trucy stood and looked on in silence.

Outside, the Christmas rain continued to pelt the sidewalk while some heartthrob crooner on the radio sang, "Baby, please come home."

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

So, yes, that was…also kind of sad.

Please, stick with me and don't give up on this story, even if things do seem a bit bleak right now.

That's all I can say. I don't want to give anything away. Besides, I never make any promises about happy endings.


	27. At Last, My Turnabout - Twenty Six

**Author's Note: **Okay, this playlist is actually kind of long. I'm going to go ahead and upload it elsewhere, and then link it. Thank you for your patience. You won't have much longer to wait. I'm going to make a list of any fanart suggestions I receive as well, also to be uploaded to a more suitable location.

Maybe it's time a got a tumblr. What exactly is a tumblr, and how does it work, oh my knowledgeable whippersnappers?

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Six: Take Me to Church**

**December 30, 2028**

**1:00 PM**

**The Courthouse Steps**

It was a reasonably warm winter day and the sun was shining again as Phoenix, Athena and Apollo waited a few feet from the front steps of the district courthouse. They were watching as the judge, dressed as always in his black robes and beaming all over his face presided over the marriage of Mr. Jim Fairchild and his long-time partner, Mr. Harold Donahue. By mutual agreement, Harry was about to become Mr. Harold Fairchild.

The judge cleared his throat as he joined the hands of the two men. Jim smiled at Harry, and Harry flushed pink with pleasure.

"Aww." Athena sighed dreamily. "Those two are so cute! Just look at him, he's all embarrassed."

"Now, then," began the judge. "Is there anyone willing to witness the marriage of these two fine gentlemen?"

Phoenix came forward, and both Jim and Harry turned their radiant smiles on him. The judge stepped aside, and Phoenix mounted the steps to join them, accepting the pen that the judge was holding out to him. He signed the marriage papers, and then passed them over to Jim, who signed before passing the papers again to Harry. Harry returned the papers to the judge, and Phoenix hastily retreated down the steps and back to where Athena and Apollo were waiting.

"Ahem," announced the judge in his best, booming courthouse voice, even though there really wasn't anyone around for him to have to talk over. "Well, I suppose that takes care of that, then. I am happy to pronounce the two of you officially a married couple. You may kiss your husband."

Harry eagerly grabbed both of Jim's hands and kissed him solidly on the mouth. This time, it was Jim who turned slightly pink as he placed both hands at his new husband's waist and leaned in just enough to return he kiss.

Athena began cheering enthusiastically." Yaaaay! Congratulations! Let's hear it for love, everyone!"

"You're…kind of making a scene," muttered Apollo, glancing around at the relatively deserted streets. Still, after a moment Apollo joined in with Athena's clapping, and so did Phoenix. The two Mr. Fairchilds were too busy gazing into each other's eyes to even turn and acknowledge their only witnesses.

Suddenly, Harry broke the kiss, dropped his husband's hands and darted into the courthouse.

"What…? Harry, where are you going?" Jim frowned.

"Wait, just wait one minute," called Harry from inside. After a few seconds he returned with a laptop computer, which he deposited on the top step. Kneeling down, he fiddled with it for a moment until music began to play. Phoenix thought he recognized the song from somewhere.

"Look into my eyes," crooned the singer, "and you will see what you mean to me. Search your heart…search your soul, and when you find me there, you'll search no more."

Apollo groaned. "Not this song again. What is it with this song and weddings? Everyone seems to want to get married to this song. I don't get it. It's so…sappy."

"The word you're looking for is 'romantic,'" Athena informed Apollo. "Weddings are supposed to be romantic."

Harry held out both arms to Jim, who raised an eyebrow at him.

"Come on," insisted Harry. "We're celebrating! Dance with me!"

"You're not serious," mumbled Jim.

Harry nodded eagerly. "I'm completely serious! Jim, this is the first and last wedding dance we're ever going to get, because I'm not doing this again. This is it. This is the real thing. I'm in love with you, and I always will be, so dance with me."

Reluctantly, Jim let Harry fold him into his arms, and then the two of them waltzed slowly down the courthouse steps onto the sidewalk.

"This…is a little much," mumbled Apollo.

Athena sighed. "Well, I think it's perfect. The perfect wedding song to go with a perfect wedding dance. Don't you think so, Mr. Wright?"

"H-huh?"Phoenix nodded absently. "Yeah, um. Sure, Athena."

He wasn't really listening to Athena at all. Instead, he was busy listening to the lyrics of the horrible, sappy love song, and remembering where he'd heard it last. They'd all been at Gumshoe and Maggey's wedding when they'd last listened to that song, and Phoenix could still remember what Athena and Trucy had said to finally drive him away from the table and back over to the buffet.

_Love, _he remembered Athena explaining giddily, _is the kind of perfect feeling that makes you want to give up everything, and to just devote yourself to the happiness and health of one person for the rest of your life. _

Trucy had started needling Phoenix about when and if he was going to find her a new mommy, and he'd made his escape then. He'd found Edgeworth sitting by himself over at the buffet table, having a glass of wine. At the time, they'd both assured each other that neither of them had time in his schedule for frivolous things like love. Phoenix had made some joke about how at least they'd probably end up getting old and miserable together, so that neither of them would have to be old and miserable alone.

It really had been just a joke, but when Edgeworth had nodded and said seriously that it was a comforting thought, Phoenix had suddenly felt a lot better about an otherwise daunting and uncertain future.

_I didn't realize it at the time, _he thought, _but maybe that was the moment. _

"You know it's true," declared the singer through the feeble computer speakers. "Everything I do…I do it for you."

_So, _thought Phoenix, as the penny dropped and his heart sank just a little lower in his aching chest. _This is it, huh? This is what those sappy love songs are always talking about. Just like Athena said, almost every love song has a few melodramatic verses about self sacrifice, giving up everything for your partner and asking for nothing in return. It sounds so…uh, well, heroic and larger-than-life when you listen to the best lyrics, but that's not really what it's like at all. You don't sacrifice because you want to, or because you're trying to. You don't give things up to prove your love or to show how far you're willing to go. It's simpler and more obvious than that. You give things up because suddenly you can't imagine doing anything else. You give because it feels normal and it feels natural, because nothing else would make sense. Edgeworth's been wrong about me all along. I'm nothing special, and I'm not a good Samaritan. Self-sacrifice isn't my thing. I give without thinking about it because maybe, just maybe that's all love really means. It's one endless, unconscious one-upmanship contest between two people who suddenly find themselves full of unexplained selfless impulses that they can't control. I guess…I guess that's all there is to it. Mystery solved. _

Phoenix thought about the interview that Edgeworth had done for the" L.A News of the Weird," and about the deal that Edgeworth must have made with Scuttlebutt in order to clear Phoenix's name. Phoenix had been angry when he'd read that, and it had felt like a perverse, random act of selflessness at the time, but suddenly it made sense.

_He couldn't do anything else, _Phoenix realized. _He couldn't see any other options. I think maybe Edgeworth understood what love meant long before I did. Maybe I'm just as much of a fool as he says I am. Maybe it's too late for that to matter, now. _

Jim and Harry were finally really getting into their stride. Phoenix watched them spin by him with unexpected grace. Even Apollo looked impressed. Harry's eyes were half closed with delight, and even quiet Jim seemed extremely pleased. It was a nice, really pleasant picture, if a little out-of-place in the middle of the courthouse plaza.

_Too late? _Phoenix shook his head. _No…no, that can't be. I can't accept that! Not yet. _

A car honked loudly from somewhere behind Phoenix on the street, and he turned around just in time to see Edgeworth walking out of the convenience store across the street with a vegetarian sandwich halfway to his mouth.

_Ack, _though Phoenix, his heart suddenly pounding a little harder in his chest.

As Phoenix stared, Edgeworth crossed the street, paused, and then stopped to watch the waltzing couple as they tripped their way in circles around the plaza.

It was the first time Phoenix had seen Edgeworth since his return from the hospital, and even though he knew that there were a hundred things he wanted to say, when he opened his mouth, no sound came out. He couldn't seem to get himself to move, and ended up just standing there, rooted to the spot with his mouth half-open while Edgeworth frowned, sidestepped the dancers and entered the courthouse.

"W-wait!" Shaking himself out of his stunned stupor, Phoenix turned quickly to Athena and Apollo. "I'll, uh, be right back," he said.

Without waiting for a response, he too hurried into the courthouse and down the hallway, until he found Edgeworth standing contemplatively in front of the elevator.

"E-Edgeworth," he panted. "Wait!"

Edgeworth spun around to face Phoenix, and for just a split-second Phoenix thought he saw surprise and pleasure in Edgeworth's eyes. Then, just like that, Edgeworth cleared his throat, frowned, and was suddenly the stern and calculating District Chief Prosecutor again, betraying no hint of emotion. The change in him was so quick and seamless that Phoenix had to wonder if he'd really seen what he'd thought he'd seen in the first place.

"Wright," muttered Edgeworth curtly, nodding. "I see you're healing well."

"Y-yeah," mumbled Phoenix, rubbing awkwardly at the back of his neck, feeling tongue-tied and desperate. "Yeah, I'm…I'm a lot better, thanks."

"Good." Edgeworth hesitated a moment, then took a step towards the elevator. Phoenix quickly interposed himself between Edgeworth and the call button, and Edgeworth scowled.

"Wright," he muttered. "Get out of the way."

"I've been calling you for weeks," Phoenix informed him.

"My apologies," replied Edgeworth quietly. "I've been very busy lately. Now, will you please-!"

"No, I won't!" Phoenix crossed both arms over his chest and tried to look forbidding while his heart did unsettling acrobatics and his lower back inexplicably began to twinge. "Look, Edgeworth, I need to talk to you. I read your interview."

Edgeworth winced. "Ah. I see."

Phoenix waited, but for a long moment, Edgeworth seemed to have nothing else to say.

"Well," began Edgeworth finally, "I suppose that saves us some time."

Phoenix blinked. "What?"

Edgeworth shook an admonitory finger at Phoenix. It was a familiar but impersonal courtroom gesture that made a horrible, cold little chill run down Phoenix's already tortured spine.

"If, as you say, you've read the interview," said Edgeworth very quietly, "then you already know that there is nothing further to be said on the subject."

"But," insisted Phoenix, "we-!"

"There is no 'we'," snapped Edgeworth. "As I believe I made extremely clear in the article you've just referenced, there is absolutely nothing between us, Wright, other than a tolerably pleasant working relationship. We are colleagues and occasionally rivals, nothing more. Please don't delude yourself into presuming otherwise."

That remark stung like a backhand slap. Phoenix had known it was coming, but even though he'd tried to prepare himself for it, it still hurt.

He swallowed, rallied, and shook his head. "You know that's not true," he managed. "Just denying it in the press isn't going to change anything."

"That," returned Edgeworth, "remains to be seen. And now, if you will excuse me, I have important business in my office. Get out of the way."

Phoenix didn't move. While he stood there, desperately trying to come up with some convincing argument, Edgeworth sighed with exasperation, ducked around him and headed for the stairwell. By the time Phoenix caught on, Edgeworth had already stormed off, letting the stairwell door close with a resounding bang behind him.

"H-hey, hold it!" Phoenix took two steps towards the door, and then stopped.

_It's no use, _he thought, sagging in defeat. _He won't talk to me. When he gets like this, there's nothing anyone can do with him. I'm just wasting my breath._

"Agh," he mumbled, covering his face with his hands. _What, _he wondered, _am I supposed to do, now?_

"Excuse me," murmured a familiar voice. "Mr. Wright?"

Phoenix looked up into the eyes of Jim Fairchild.

"Am I…interrupting something?" Jim frowned. "If this is a bad time, then-!"

Phoenix just gestured wearily at the stairs, then turned away."What? No. No, it's…it's nothing. It's fine. Um…I'm sorry about running off like that. I wanted to tell you both, congratulations."

"Thank you," murmured Jim. "Today wouldn't have been possible if it hadn't been for you and your team. That's why Harry and I wanted you to witness our marriage. We owe you everything. Mr. Wright."

"Uh…you're welcome," mumbled Phoenix. "I mean…I'm just glad it all worked out for the best."

"You kept your promise," insisted Jim. "When even I had given up on winning that case, you still came through for me. I'll never be able to express how grateful I am."

"To be fair," Phoenix reminded him, "You really have Athena and Apollo to thank for that win. I wasn't even present at the final day of the trial."

Jim raised an eyebrow. "You must be joking. Mr. Wright, I read the newspapers. You weren't at the final day of the trial because you'd been attacked in the street. That happened because you'd agreed to defend me, didn't it?"

"Uh…well, yeah," muttered Phoenix awkwardly. "I mean…that was part of it, anyway."

"When they tried your attackers in court," continued Jim, "the prosecutor accused them of sending you threatening emails. Apparently you'd been getting those emails for days before you were assaulted. You knew the risks, but you never gave up on me. I…there aren't enough words, Mr. Wright."

Now, Phoenix just felt awkward. "Uh…hey, come on," he insisted. "I was just doing my job. Trust me, I've been in worse situations. You'd be amazed by some of the things that lawyers put up with for their clients."

Jim just shook his head. "Not lawyers," he corrected Phoenix. "You. Just you. I honestly believe that anyone else would have abandoned me under those circumstances, but not you. I've heard things about you, Mr. Wright, from other clients of yours, and just from the gossip pool. You have a reputation for being a fighter. Everyone says that you're the one lawyer who, once he's committed, will never, ever give up on a person, no matter how bad things get. It's true, what they say. That's exactly what you're really like. I's gratifying to know that people like you are still out there."

"Uh…um…" Phoenix could feel himself flushing. "Seriously, Mr. Fairchild, you're…kind of embarrassing me."

Jim shrugged. "I just want you to know how much we appreciate everything you've done. Thank you so much."

He gave Phoenix another quick little smile, placed a hand on his shoulder and then turned around to leave the courthouse, presumably to find his new husband.

Phoenix was left standing in front of the elevator, frowning to himself and thinking about what Jim had just said.

_A fighter, huh? _ For a moment, he turned back to the stairwell. _I never give up on people. So, then, that's what they say about me? _

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

I had more to post here in this note, but I just looked at the clock and realized that I have three minutes to be out the door, or I will miss my ride.

Excuse me. More later.


	28. At Last, My Turnabout - Twenty Seven

**Author's Note: **So, this is our last week together for a while. Starting next Tuesday the 26th I go back to working 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. I'm going to try and finish this story before Tuesday.

Mind you, that won't be the end of Phoenix/Edgeworth. I still have several side stories, prequels, and a long-form, multi-chaptered sequel in mind, but this first story, at least, needs to start winding down. Expect at least daily updates until Friday!

Only a few chapters left! Ready? Here we go!

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**Chapter Twenty Seven: Have I Told You Lately**

**January 1, 2029**

**11:00 PM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

Lat afternoon on New Year's Day, after staying up all night to celebrate, Phoenix woke up and wished he hadn't. His head was pounding like he had a hangover, which didn't seem fair at all since his daily multi-dose of painkiller precluded him from drinking any alcohol. His chest throbbed and his back twinged, and for some reason his mouth felt like mush. He had a vague and slightly horrifying memory of eating four, perhaps five, or maybe even six full celebratory bowls of Eldoon's saltiest noodles the night before at Maya's urging while the two of them had rung in the New Year together.

Forcing himself out of bed, Phoenix located some pants, splashed some water on his face and headed for the living room, where he found Maya seated on the sofa, still dressed in her favorite "Steel Samurai" pajama t-shirt and trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes.

"Morning," he said. "Uh, and happy New Year, again."

Maya grinned at him. "Happy New Year, Nick! Let's make this year the best one yet!"

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix, yawning and reaching around Maya to find the TV remote. He switched on the television and flipped to the news. The news anchor was in the middle of describing a massive power-outage that had apparently taken place during a big, expensive party at a local high-rise.

"Trucy's not back yet," remarked Maya.

Phoenix shrugged. "It's fine. She called me last night at midnight to wish me a happy New Year. She's over at Apollo's, and they probably didn't get any sleep last night either. I hope she's sleeping in, now."

He poured two bowls of dry Awesome-O's cereal, passed one to Maya, and then settled down next to her on the couch.

"Hey, Maya," he asked. "Did we really eat six bowls of Eldoon's, last night?"

Maya shook her head." Seven," She corrected him. "Um…my tummy doesn't feel so good."

She got up to get herself a glass of water, and Phoenix turned his attention back to the TV.

"In other news, last night's power outage was only the beginning of a series of New Year's Eve misfortunes, culminating in a terrible tragedy at the famous Gatewater Hotel," announced the anchor.

"The Gatewater, again?" Maya sighed. "I think there must be something wrong with that hotel, Nick. Maybe it's haunted, or possessed, or something. I mean, is it just me, or do 'terrible tragedies' seem to happen there all the time?"

"Well, you're a spirit medium," Phoenix reminded her. "Maybe you should go and offer to help exorcise whatever's haunting the hotel."

Maya came back to the sofa with a glass of water and a large donut in hand. "What? What are you talking about? Spirit mediums and exorcists have nothing to do with each other. You should know that by now. If they find out that hotel's really haunted, then I'm not going anywhere near it. Actually, that place has always sort of given me the creeps."

_That's no surprise _after_ what happened to you, there, _thought Phoenix. _I guess we all have our own little demons to exorcise. _

"In a shocking and tabloid-worthy turn of events," continued the news anchor, "Miss Myriam Scuttlebutt was found dead this morning in her fourth floor Gatewater hotel room. Miss Scuttlebutt was infamous for her work on the popular tabloid website 'The L.A. News of the Weird.'"

_What? _Phoenix blinked. _Did…did I hear that right? _

"Huh?" Maya looked shocked. "Myriam Scuttlebutt? Wait, she's…isn't she the one who wrote those horrible articles about you and Mr. Edgeworth?"

Phoenix just nodded. "Y-yeah, that's right. That's her." _I guess I shouldn't be so shocked, though, _he thought. _After all, she's a tabloid journalist. She makes up stories about prominent and powerful people for a living. I don't read that site, but I bet she's written all sorts of lies or, worse, maybe even true stories about people besides me and Edgeworth. She probably had a lot of enemies. _

"The body was discovered by Miss Edith Peaper, Gatewater hotel maid and busgirl, at 8 o'clock AM," continued the anchor. "Police who arrived soon after at the scene determined that death occurred at approximately one o'clock AM, shortly after the advent of the New Year. The police are treating the case as a homicide, and-!"

Suddenly, another man ran in from some offscreen door, dressed in a disheveled suit and tie and looking agitated. He hurried over to the anchor's desk and shoved a memo in front of him before rushing off screen again.

The anchor blinked, glanced down at the memo, and cleared his throat.

"We have just received word that the police have arrested and are holding a suspect in the Myriam Scuttlebutt murder case," he announced. "District Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth was apprehended by police at his home this morning after nine o'clock AM, and he is currently being held on homicide charges."

"Wha…WHAT?" Phoenix's jaw dropped. "Wait…Edgeworth? Oh…oh no. No, no. Nope, this can't be happening."

Maya just sighed. "Not again," she whispered. "Déjà vu, I guess…"

"Upon searching Miss Scuttlebutt's hotel room," the anchor was saying, "the police apparently found numerous traces of Mr. Edgeworth's presence, including several sets of fingerprints, a business card, and even a pair of glasses belonging to the accused. No other fingerprints were discovered at the scene."

"Wait,' mumbled Phoenix. "None? None at all? H-how is that possible?"

" The trial will take place tomorrow at ten o'clock, and the police seem confident that the case of Miss Scuttlebutt's murder is already closed," finish the announcer. "To those of our viewers who enjoy some good, bloody entertainment; I hope I'll be seeing you all there! And now, back to George for today's weather."

Maya grabbed the remote and switched off the TV.

"Nick," she said urgently. "It doesn't sound so good for Mr. Edgeworth. They found his glasses, his card and his fingerprints in her hotel room. That's kind of a lot of incriminating evidence."

"Y-yeah," agreed Phoenix, still slightly stunned. "Yeah, I guess it is."

Getting up from the sofa, he shook his head, ran his hands through his hair, and then started back into his own bedroom.

"Hey," called Maya. "Where are you going?"

Phoenix yawned again, shook himself and stretched his arms up over his head. "I need a shirt," he muttered. "Gotta brush my teeth, too, and my hair. Won't take long."

Maya just nodded. "You're going to the detention center to see Mr. Edgeworth, right?"

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "Of course I am." _Something tells me, though, that he's not gonna be too happy to see me, _he thought.

"Great," announced Maya. "Then I'm coming with you!"

Phoenix turned on her, startled. "What?"

"I'm coming with you to see Mr. Edgeworth," she repeated, rolling her eyes. "Jeez, Nick, maybe you are starting to get old. Your hearing's going."

"No," mumbled Phoenix, "I heard you fine. It's just…if the trial's tomorrow, that means I'll probably have to get started on the investigation immediately. Could be a long day. Looks like the New Year's fun is over, for now."

"Uh, I know that," said Maya. "Obviously I'm going to come and help you investigate."

Phoenix opened his mouth to object, and Maya narrowed her eyes.

"Hey, I know it's been a few years," she insisted, "but I used to pretty good at all this investigation stuff. We were a great team, Nick! It'll be just like old times again! Wow, when you think of it that way, I'm actually kind of looking forward to this!"

While Maya began rummaging hurriedly through her overnight bag, Phoenix gave up and went into the bedroom to get himself ready.

_Sure, this does feel really familiar, _he thought while doing up the buttons on his only clean white shirt. _Still, Maya, I wish you wouldn't sound so happy about it. This is one walk down memory lane that I really think I could do without._

**A short time later, at the detention center…**

Phoenix and Maya spent a good ten minutes waiting for the guard to bring Edgeworth to the visitor's room.

"Nick," asked May unexpectedly. "Um…are you gonna be okay? I mean, I know it's been a little while since you've seen Mr. Edgeworth, and you two have some…uh, unresolved personal issues."

Phoenix just shrugged. "We do, sure," he agreed, "but we'll have to deal with those another time. You said it yourself; this case looks bad. We can't waste time worrying about personal issues right now. I'm sure Edgeworth will understand that." _At least, _he thought, _I hope he does. Somehow, I sort of doubt it, actually…_

"Yeah," agreed Maya, "but do you think he's gonna let his ex-boyfriend defend him in court?"

Phoenix winced. "I'm not his ex-boyfriend," he mumbled. "It's…it's not like that."

Maya frowned. "Denial, isn't going to get you anywhere,'" she admonished him.

Luckily, Phoenix was saved from having to answer that by Edgeworth's arrival.

"Wright," he muttered, glowering. "Somehow, I knew you would come."

"Yup," agreed Phoenix, amazed and slightly appalled by the way his heart had suddenly started jumping a-rhythmically around in his chest as soon as Edgeworth had appeared. _Focus, Phoenix, _he reminded himself sternly. _This isn't the time for personal feelings, remember? The case. Focus on the case! Focus on the client. _

Edgeworth sighed. "Well, I'm afraid that this trip has been a waste of your time. You're here, I presume, to ask that I allow you to defend me in court, tomorrow."

Phoenix shook his head. "No. That's not why I'm here."

"Oh?" Edgeworth looked faintly surprised and almost, just maybe a little bit disappointed. "I…I see. This is, then, just a perversely timed social call?"

Again, Phoenix shook his head. "I didn't come here to ask you if I could take your case," he informed Edgeworth. "I came here to tell you that I am taking your case, whether you like the idea or not."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "And if I refute you?"

"I don't really care," retorted Phoenix, shrugging. "Look, just get over yourself for a few minutes and face the facts. This case looks bad. You left a lot of stuff lying around in Scuttlebutt's hotel room, and for some reason you're the only person who's left any traces of being there. I don't know how that can be, but I'm going to find out, and you know, you KNOW that I can do it, Edgeworth. You're not going to find someone else who's willing to take your case this late in the game, and you're already aware that I'm good at handling messes like this. It only makes sense for me to defend you."

"Hmph," snorted Edgeworth. "This is arrogant nonsense. I will refuse to sign the papers. There will be no defense request, and subsequently you will have no authority."

"If you won't sign the papers, then I'll have to forge your signature," returned Phoenix. "I bet I even known a guy, or rather a girl who'd probably be willing to help me out. You want to turn me in and accuse me of forgery, or coercion, or whatever, then fine. You can do that after we get you acquitted."

Maya looked startled. "Nick!"

Phoenix just ignored her, never taking his eyes off of Edgeworth. "So? Is that how we're gonna do this? Are you gonna make a criminal out of me?"

"You're bluffing," Edgeworth accused him.

"I'm not, and you know it," returned Phoenix. "I knew you were going to react like this, and I showed up anyway. That by itself should tell you how serious I am."

Edgeworth sighed wearily. "Serious," he mumbled to himself, shaking his head. "You're unbelievable, Wright. You're uninvited, here. I do not require your services. I will, no doubt, be assigned a perfectly competent public defender, as you are well aware. My chances will be as good as those of any innocent man. Why must you insist on being so infuriatingly difficult?"

_Because those chances aren't good enough, _thought Phoenix. _Not for me. _"Because that's just how I operate," he said aloud. "Because I can be as stubborn as you are, and because we both know that this is a better idea than letting them assign you a public defender. Because you trust me, even if you don't want to admit it, and because I'm in love with you."

Maya gasped and put both hands to her mouth. "Nick!"

_Wait, _thought Phoenix belatedly. _Did I just…? Oh, man, that just sort of slipped out. I didn't mean to say that out loud. Ack…_

He could feel his cheeks starting to burn, and Maya was now staring at him in shock.

"A-anyway," he began, clearing his throat and doing his best to pretend that nothing weird had just happened, "I'd appreciate it if you'd save me all the trouble, Edgeworth, and just-!"

"Wright," demanded Edgeworth through gritted teeth. "Wh-what did you just say?"

Phoenix saw that Edgeworth was suddenly gripping the counter so hard that his knuckles were turning white.

"Uh, I said," replied Phoenix, "that that it'd be a lot easier for me and actually for both of us if you would just-!"

"No," interrupted Edgeworth. "Not that. What you said just now, when I accused you of being infuriating. You said, ah…" He trailed off, swallowing hard, and a muscle in his cheek began to twitch again. "W-well, perhaps I misheard you. Yes, I assume that I must have misheard you."

Sighing, Phoenix gave up and decided to go for broke. "I said," he repeated, "that I'm in love with you."

"Oh, Nick…" Maya sighed. "That's so…so unexpectedly brave and sweet of you!I think I'm gonna cry." She sniffled.

Edgeworth went pale. He opened his mouth, paused, closed it again, and then cleared his throat. "P-preposterous," he mumbled confusedly. "You…you have never said such a ridiculous thing before."

"Yeah, well," retorted Phoenix, "I'm saying it, now. If you want, I'll say it again after we've gotten you out of here."

For a long moment, neither Phoenix nor Edgeworth moved. Then, slowly, Edgeworth turned away, looking pained. Phoenix took a deep breath.

"Well, it's already after noon," announced Phoenix, standing up. "We'd better start investigating before we lose any more time. Come on, Maya. Edgeworth, I'll see you later."

He started towards the door, and Maya hurried to join him.

"Ah…wait," demanded Edgeworth, just as Phoenix and Maya were about to leave the room." Nick."

Phoenix turned around, startled by the sound of his first name. "Wh-what is it?"

Edgeworth frowned. "You still haven't asked me if I killed the Scuttlebutt woman."

"Oh, that." Phoenix just shrugged. "I don't have to ask you. I know you."

With that, he hurried out of the visitor's room, with Maya hard on his heels.

All the way out the door, he could Edgeworth's eyes on him.

**Fin.**

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**Author's Note: **Seriously, it wouldn't be a real Ace Attorney fic if some major character didn't get accused of murder, right?

Anyway.

I have a tumblr!

You can find it at ari-moriarty . tumblr . com (no spaces, of course.)

The reason I tell you this is that I have posted our list of inspiring Narumitsu songs on my tumblr! You can find it there. Thanks for all of your help!

Stay tuned. I'll soon be offering you all a writing challenge!


	29. At Last, My Turnabout - Twenty Eight

**Author's Note: **Ugh, ffnet is giving me trouble, again. If you left a review on the last chapter, and if I did not respond to it, then I apologize. I am having some trouble with reviews and PMs. Please bear with me while I wait impatiently for this annoyance to sort itself out. Thank you.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Eight: Shot Through the Heart – Part One**

**J****anuary 1, 2029**

**1:00 PM**

**Detention Center Parking Lot**

"Nick," exclaimed Maya excitedly as they left the detention center. "You…you said it! You finally said it!"

"Uh, yeah, I guess I did," muttered Phoenix.

Maya grinned. "I was right! Trucy, Athena and I all bet on how long we thought you'd take to say it. Trucy was off by a whole month, but I figured that you'd probably take forever to do it, so I put money on January of 2028, and I was right! I'm gonna be rich! Hey, do you want to go out for noodles? I'm about to be rolling in noodle money."

_They…took bets? _Phoenix sighed. _I'm not even going to dignify that with a response._

"Hey!" Halfway across the parking lot, Maya stopped and squinted. "Oh, wow, look who's here."

Phoenix followed Maya's gaze, and found that there were several people standing around her car. Athena, Apollo, and Trucy were all there, looking a little bleary-eyed from their New Year's fun.

"Daddy," called Trucy, waving at him. "Over here!"

"We heard about what happened," said Apollo. "We saw it on the news, this morning."

Athena nodded. "Yeah, and so we came straight here! Just tell us what you need, boss, and we're on it!"

"G-guys," mumbled Maya, her lip quivering. "You're…you're the best team ever! That's what you were going to say, right, Nick?"

Phoenix wasn't sure what to say. He was too busy being impressed, proud of his subordinates, and far too grateful for words.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Yeah, something like that. Thanks, guys. I…it means a lot to me."

_So, _he thought, frowning to himself, _let's try to make the best use of time that we possibly can. How do I want to play this?_

"Apollo," he said, "if you're up for it, then I'd like you to take Trucy over to the Criminal Affairs Department. See if you can find Ema. She's a pretty big Miles Edgeworth fan, so she shouldn't put up too much of a fight about helping. Ask her about the fingerprints, and about anything else that science might have turned p at the scene."

Apollo just nodded. "Got it, boss."

Phoenix turned to Athena. "I need you," he told her, "to see what you can find out about Myriam Scuttlebutt's life, how she worked, and who her friends were. What sort of people did she interact with, and where were her favorite places to go? You might want to ask Juniper about it, since I know that they were, uh…well, not exactly close, but, acquaintances, at least."

Athena gave him two enthusiastic thumbs up. "You can count on me, Mr. Wright!"

"So…wait, Nick," insisted Maya, "where does that leave us? I mean, what are we going to do?"

"We," said Phoenix, "are going over to the Gatewater hotel to see the crime scene."

Maya groaned. "But I already told you that I hate that place! Okay, maybe it isn't haunted, but there's definitely something wrong with it. Why is there always so much crime, there? They should just knock it down, and put up a new, shinier, less-creepy, not-possessed hotel."

The others headed off in their separate directions, leaving Phoenix and Maya alone.

"Sorry," he told her, "but you said that you wanted in on this investigation. It's too late to back out of it, now."

**A short time later, in Myriam Scuttlebutt's hotel room…**

The hotel room itself was blocked off with police tape, but Phoenix was far too fired up to care. He ducked under it and strode right in, to find several detectives busily searching, examining, and rushing around while barking questions at each other.

"Oh, hey, pal," announced Detective Gumshoe when he spotted them. "I was wondering when you were gonna show up. The autopsy report just came back, and I've got it right here. What else do you want to know? Go ahead and ask, I'm not holding back."

Maya looked surprised. "Really? But, Detective Gumshoe, aren't we technically enemies? Or, uh, at least on different sides?"

Gumshoe just shrugged. "We've been through this plenty of times, pal. I don't really have to tell you again, do I? I'm on Mr. Edgeworth's side, and that's all there is to it. Always have been, always will be. Besides, if they haven't fired me by now, you really think they're still gonna do it? I figure that ship's sailed."

_He has a point there, _thought Phoenix.

"Okay, Detective," he said. "Then please tell us everything you know about the crime."

Gumshoe scratched uncomfortably at his head. "Well, I gotta be honest with you, it isn't very much at this point. Most of what I can tell you, you probably already got from the twelve o'clock news. The body was discovered by the cleaning lady, Miss Edith Peaper at eight o'clock AM. We figure she died around one o'clock in the morning, which kinda stinks, considering she only got an hour of the new year before it was all over. Cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest. We haven't found the weapon; guess the killer took it away with him."

"A gunshot wound?" Phoenix frowned." That's…pretty intense."

"At least it wasn't another switchblade," said Maya. "Maybe those are finally starting to go out of style."

"Yeah, well, normally, on a good day, we can get fingerprints off of the weapon," muttered Gumshoe. "It's a shame we can't do that, this time. Unfortunately for us, the only fingerprints found anywhere in the hotel room were Mr. Edgeworth's, and I mean the ONLY ones."

"That isn't possible," insisted Phoenix. "There must be people in and out of here all the time. What about Miss Scuttlebutt's fingerprints? You found them, didn't you?"

"Nope." Gumshoe shook his head. "Not a single one. Apparently this Scuttlebutt character was kind of a crazy recluse. She never left the hotel room without wearing some giant cardboard box on her head, and apparently she wore latex gloves even when she was in the room. We found one full box and three empty boxes of gloves when we checked out the bathroom. Got no idea why, but it looks like she was trying to hide her own traces. Weird, huh?"

_It's a little weird, _thought Phoenix, _but it sort of fits in with Myriam's character. People who travel around with boxes on their heads really don't want to be seen. Athena spent hours just trying to figure out where Myriam lived and worked. I guess she didn't want anyone to find her. Maybe she knew she had enemies, or maybe she was just being extra careful. Either way, she was obviously doing her best not to leave any evidence of her presence behind her. _

"The hotel staff say she's been living here for a month," added Gumshoe, "although they've never seen her face. She booked the hotel room in somebody else's name, but everybody knew it was her, apparently, because of some photograph she posted on her website of her own head in a box."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "I've seen that one."

Gumshoe sighed. "It's really not looking so good for Mr. Edgeworth," he mumbled. "He left all sorts of stuff in her room, and he had a pretty strong motive to want her out of the way. I mean, uh, she sort of ruined his life, if you know what I mean. Yours too, I guess." Suddenly, Gumshoe narrowed his eyes. "Hey…wait a second, that's right! You had just as much reason to kill her as Mr. Edgeworth did. It wasn't you, was it, pal?"

"No," Phoenix informed him. "Of course not."

Maya looked annoyed. "What kind of a question is that? You know Nick didn't do it."

"Uh, yeah, right. Sure, I knew that." Gumshoe cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Just doing my job, you know? I had to at least ask."

Phoenix decided to just let that one go. "One more thing," he asked. "Who's acting as Chief Prosecutor while Edgeworth's incarcerated?"

"Oh, uh…let me see." Gumshoe frowned. "Uh, yeah, I think it's Mr. Blackquill. He won't let any of us call him 'Chief Prosecutor,' because he says Mr. Edgeworth's not gonna be gone for long. I really want to like the guy for that but honestly he gives me the creeps."

_Blackquill, _thought Phoenix. _Could be worse. I think I'd better go talk to him._

"Thank you, Detective," he said, turning back towards the door. "I appreciate all the help. If we need you, can we find you at the Criminal Affairs Department?"

Gumshoe shook his head. "Nah, I'll probably be here all day. Just come right back if you end up wanting something. Good luck, pal! Something tells me you're gonna need it."

With that, Gumshoe returned to his investigation, and Phoenix headed out of the room.

"So," asked Maya, "we're going to see the new Chief Prosecutor, now?"

"Acting Chief Prosecutor," Phoenix corrected her. "And, yeah, we are. I have something that I'd like to ask him. It's a long-shot request, but since it's Blackquill, we might be in luck. He knows what it's like to owe Edgeworth a few favors. I might be able to convince him. We'll see."

Maya drove them the very short distance from the detention center to the courthouse, only managing to run one red light and only barely missing the curb three times.

"I think you're getting better at this," Phoenix informed her as they pulled into the courthouse parking lot, and he finally unclenched his trembling fingers from around the passenger side door handle.

Maya beamed. "Aw, thanks, Nick! Hey, do you ever think about getting your driver's license?"

_Yes, _thought Phoenix. _Every single time I drive with you, I tell myself that I couldn't possibly do any worse. One of these days, Maya, it might happen._

The door of the Chief Prosecutor's Office opened immediately when Phoenix knocked, revealing the stern-faced and austere personage of Simon Blackquill.

"Ah," murmured Blackquill, inclining his head slightly in what was probably an unconscious mirror of a very Edgeworth-like gesture. "Wright-dono. Please, come in. I've been expecting you."

"Nick," whispered Maya as they closed the office door behind them. "Why is everyone expecting us, today?"

_Well, _thought Phoenix, _I've defended a lot of cases, by now. I guess everyone's sort of comfortable with the routine. Plus, it's Edgeworth, and even if he's been trying to cover things up, everyone pretty much knows about what happened between us. Myriam Scuttlebutt made sure of that. Or, then again, maybe everyone just knows that I'm the only defense attorney insane enough to take a case where the odds are so obviously stacked against me. Can't decide if that's a good or a bad kind of reputation to have. _

Blackquill went and stood behind Edgeworth's desk with his back to Phoenix, his figure outlined against the large window. Again, it was exactly like something Edgeworth would have done, but there was something far more menacing about Blackquill's features in profile. The ominously curved sword lying sheathed across the desk was only contributing to the atmosphere.

"What," asked Blackquill, "can I do for you? I can only assume that your visit concerns the recent arrest of Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth."

Maya nodded. "Yep. We're going to defend him!"

Blackquill nodded. "Of course. Unfortunately, as the acting Chief Prosecutor, it would be less than honorable for me to assist you with any part of your investigation. I find myself at a complex crossroads, Wright-dono. A samurai must remain loyal, always, to his master, and yet my position as acting Chief Prosecutor precludes me from rushing to his side and cutting down his opponents in a single swift stroke, as I would otherwise do. It is no doubt also true that Mr. Edgeworth himself would discourage any efforts of that nature. What would you,then, have me do?"

Phoenix frowned. "Have you assigned a prosecutor to Edgeworth's trial, yet?"

"No." Blackquill shook his head. "I am in the process of selecting a suitably worthy opponent as we speak."

"Great," replied Phoenix, relieved. "I, uh, actually have someone in mind. She's not local, but she has prosecuted in this courthouse before, and I think that if we explained the circumstances to her, she'd be more than happy to show up."

Blackquill turned around to face them. "You heard me say that it would be less than honorable for me to act on Mr. Edgeworth's behalf. It would, of course, be equally shameful for me to allow a personal friend of yours to prosecute and thus to bring bias into what must be a fair and keenly-edged assault on your client's defenses."

"Oh," insisted Phoenix, "she's 'keenly-edged,' all right, and she's definitely not a personal friend. Actually, she might hate me. The jury's still out on that one. Honestly, I think you'll like her."

For a moment, Blackquill looked uncertain. "And why, exactly, do you ask to face off against this particular opponent? She sounds formidable indeed. I respect you, Wright-dono, for seeking a challenge, but in this case, is that really wise?"

"It's…really kind of a long story," sighed Phoenix. "But trust me, it is a good idea."

Blackquill just shrugged. "Very well," he said, taking a pen and a notepad from on top of the desk. "And so, this Amazon warrior's name is..?"

"Miss Fransizka von Karma," replied Phoenix.

Blackquill paused. He put the pen down, nodded slowly, and smiled a small, very slightly disconcerting smile.

"Ah," he said. "I see. Yes…yes I believe that I might be able to honor your reasonable request."

**Fin. **

* * *

**Author's End Note: **

That was a quick one, and things are moving along pretty fast, now!

I'm off to work, but I'm ready to hand out my writing challenge!

If you would like for me to give you a writing challenge, please leave a review on this chapter (because give and take makes the world go around, friends), and I'll PM you with your challenge. It'll be fun! We'll all create fantastic literary brilliance together! I'm excited. I hope you're excited.


	30. At Last, My Turnabout - Twenty Nine

**Author's Note: **So, Tuesday. Can we get two chapters out today? I think we can. Let's do this.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Nine: Shot Through the Heart – Part Two**

**January 2, 2029**

**10:00 AM**

**Courtroom No. 2**

The next morning, Phoenix and Maya arrived early at the courthouse, equipped with all of the information that Apollo, Athena, and Trucy had come up with the evening before.

"We haven't got much," whispered Maya. "Um…Nick, are we gonna be okay, today?"

Phoenix shrugged. "We have to be. There aren't any alternatives.

_Everybody tried their hardest, _he thought, _but Myriam Scuttlebutt was even more crazy and reclusive than we realized. Nobody came up with much, but with what little we have, I'm going to prove Edgeworth's innocence. Don't worry, Maya. It looks bad, but everything's going to be fine. We've been here before and we'll be here again. _

"I'll just do what I always do," he reassured her.

Maya frowned. "You mean, you'll spend most of the trial panicking, but then you'll suddenly make some kind of crazy bluff that shouldn't make sense, but which somehow ends up getting the real killer to confess in front of the entire courtroom even though you know, I know, and the killer should know that we really don't have any conclusive evidence to convict him with?"

"You…didn't have to put it exactly like that," muttered Phoenix, wincing. "But, um, yeah, pretty much. Anyway, we're going in blind, so we have to be prepared for the worst."

"Oh, don't worry," replied Maya. "I will be. With you, I always am."

_You're not helping, _thought Phoenix.

"Boss!" Athena came hurrying into the courthouse, followed by Apollo, Trucy, and, unexpectedly, Juniper Woods. Apollo seemed to be having a hard time keeping his eyes off of her, and Phoenix politely decided not to notice.

"Good luck today, Daddy," announced Trucy. "We're all here to cheer for you!"

Apollo nodded, and Athena beamed. Only Juniper didn't seem altogether enthusiastic.

"Mr. Wright," she said quietly, not meeting his eyes. "I know that Myriam's been a lot of trouble for you and that you probably don't like her very much, but she wasn't exactly a bad person."

_The word 'bad' is debatable in this context, _thought Phoenix, carefully keeping those remarks to himself. _I'll admit that she didn't deserve to be murdered, at least. _

"I want you to find out who really killed her," insisted Juniper. "I don't want Mr. Edgeworth to be arrested for this, because that means that the real killer will go free. That isn't fair. It isn't justice. I…I want to know what really happened."

"That's why we're here, Junie," Athena reassured her. "We're all here to find out the truth. Right, boss?"

_Actually, _thought Phoenix, _I'm here to make sure that Edgeworth isn't sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit. Sure, the truth is a great secondary goal, but let's take things one step at a time, shall we?_

"We'll see you later, Daddy." Trucy gave him one of her biggest, best encouraging smiles, and then she, Apollo, Juniper and Athena all headed off to find seats in the gallery.

Phoenix noticed Edgeworth standing quietly against the far wall, in between his two police guards.

"Two guards seems like kind of a lot," remarked Maya. "What do they think he's gonna do, run away?"

"He's a murder suspect," returned Phoenix, shrugging. "It's happened before."

Edgeworth, he noticed, looked terrible. The haggard look in Edgeworth's slightly bloodshot eyes told Phoenix that he hadn't gotten any sleep the night before, not that Phoenix was terribly surprised. Despite the stress he was obviously under, however, Edgeworth was as professionally kempt and well-put-together as always, neatly dressed without a hair out of place, He was quiet, calm, dispassionate and perfectly in control, and Phoenix had the sudden and almost overwhelming desire to hold him.

"Wright," said Edgeworth, noticing Phoenix and acknowledging him with a little nod.

_Oh, _thought Phoenix, trying not to let himself be too disappointed. _So I guess I'm not 'Nick' anymore, then, huh? _

"Don't worry," he assured Edgeworth. "We're going to get through this."

Edgeworth waved that away with one hand."Spare me your platitudes," he muttered. "I am fully aware of how the case stands and of how badly the results of the preliminary investigation will bode for me."

"Hey," said Phoenix, "you trust me, right?"

For a moment, Edgeworth said nothing. Then he sighed.

"Yes," he replied simply. "I do."

"Good." Phoenix nodded. "Then stop worrying." He reached for Edgeworth's hand, but Edgeworth jerked away from him.

"I've got stuff to say to you when this is all over," Phoenix told him, "and this time, you're going to listen to me, whether you like it or not. I won't take no for an answer. You'll owe me that much, at least."

Without waiting for a response to that, he turned his back on Edgeworth and returned to Maya's side.

"Everybody's in the courtroom already," she said. "Come on, let's go."

They entered the courtroom, and took their places behind the defense's bench.

"Ack," whispered Maya, making a face. "Look, Nick! She's here!"

Franziska von Karma was indeed there, standing just across from them behind the prosecutor's bench. She was as grand, statuesque and impressive-looking as ever, equipped as always with her favorite whip.

Something, however, wasn't quite right.

_She doesn't look happy, _thought Phoenix. _Actually, she looks furious. Uh…I think that might be my fault…_

"Phoenix Wright," she hissed. "What kind of foul trick are you attempting to play? I received a summons, promising me that I would again have the opportunity to face off in an American court against my eternal rival, the infamous Phoenix Wright. Naturally, I dropped everything. I chartered a private plane. I arrived with barely minutes to spare, and then I discovered…that!"

She gestured dismissively at Edgeworth, who was just taking his place beside the bailiff.

"What," she demanded, "is the meaning of this?"

Phoenix frowned. "You don't know? Edgeworth is being accused of murdering a journalist, Myriam Scuttlebutt, in her Gatewater Hotel room just after New Year's Eve. The police found his-!"

"I am aware of the details of the case," snapped Franziska. "I have spent the last twenty minutes familiarizing myself with the investigation notes."

Maya blinked. "Just twenty minutes?"

Franziska shrugged. "For a von Karma, twenty minutes is more than enough time." Suddenly, she cracked her whip and pointed an accusing finger directly at Phoenix's face. "Phoenix Wright, you cannot possibly expect me to prosecute this case!"

"Why not?" Phoenix shrugged. "You're an extremely competent prosecutor. No one knows that better than I do. Besides, if you've read the notes, then you know how easy this prosecution will probably be. The evidence is all in your favor."

"Yes, I-I understand, but…" Suddenly Franziska looked uncertain, almost like a cornered animal. She shrank in on herself just a little bit, and Phoenix could see the traces of a confused and frightened little girl lurking in the back of her eyes. "He…he is my brother. Do you seriously ask me to secure his death? It can't be that you're serious. This is some kind of…twisted and tortuous game of yours. A bluff, perhaps, or…?" She trailed off, biting down hard on her lip."

"Wow, Nick," whispered Maya, sounding impressed. "I guess even Little Miss Perfect has her weak spots."

Franziska glared at her. "What kind of monster do you take me for, Maya Fey? He…he is the only family I have. I have nothing else left. Do you understand that?"

For a moment, Franziska and Maya stared at each other.

"Y-yeah," mumbled Maya eventually, averting her eyes. "Yeah, I do. I…I really do."

"A von Karma prosecution is a perfect prosecution," hissed Franziska. "Phoenix Wright, I will not hold back. I…I cannot. I will win this case, and when I do…" Again, she darted a glance over at Edgeworth. "Phoenix Wright," she repeated, "you will have to demand a change of prosecutors immediately. It is the only solution. I will, of course, gracefully accede to your shameful and cowardly request."

_Yep, _decided Phoenix. _Same old Franziska, even if she is a little rattled by the circumstances. _

"We're not changing prosecutors," he informed her. "I asked for you specifically for a reason."

Franziska stared. "And…your reason is?"

"You're a great prosecutor," he repeated. "You're ruthless, you're merciless, and you're incredibly sharp. I need you here to help me prove to this court that Edgeworth is innocent. If I can refute you, then there won't be any doubt left in anyone's minds."

For a second, Franziska just stared. Then she sighed, making a little "tsk tsk" sound in her throat.

"You're a foolish, foolhardy fool," she told him, "playing foolish fool's games with other people's lives. I think I might hate you, Phoenix Wright."

_Yeah, I know you do, _thought Phoenix. _But there's another reason why I need it to be you, Franziska. Your stake in this is just as high as mine. For once, you're going to want the truth, instead of just a victory. You may not be willing to admit it, but you can't afford to play your usual tricks, this time. Together, we're going to figure out what really happened, and I know I can count on you to see this through to the end. We can settle our personal differences another time._

The judge was now in the process of taking to his own bench.

"Court is now in session for the trial of Mr. Miles Edgeworth," announced the bailiff. "All rise!"

Dutifully, everyone stood up, then took their seats again as the judge took a moment to glance over his notes.

"I do not think," he sighed wearily, "that I am going to enjoy this very much. This is the second time that I've tried a murder case with Mr. Edgeworth as the accused, and I'd never imagined that I'd be doing it again."

"Don't worry, Your Honor," announced Phoenix. "We'll have this trial over with as quickly as possible."

"Hah," laughed Franziska mirthlessly. "Yes, in that, at least, I agree with the defense. I give this trial perhaps twenty minutes to reach its conclusion." For once, she didn't exactly look happy about that.

"Ah, Miss von Karma," said the judge, blinking in surprise as though noticing her for the first time. "A pleasure to see you again, of course." Phoenix thought he saw the judge edge just a little bit farther away from Franziska and closer to the defense's bench. "Are we all ready?"

"The defense is ready, Your Honor," replied Phoenix.

Franziska hesitated, then sighed in exasperation, shook her head, and narrowed her eyes. "Yes, yes, the prosecution is ready," she muttered. "A von Karma is never unprepared. I shall call my first witness."

Cracking her whip, she straightened up and demanded, "Scruffy Detective! Take the stand. You have exactly three minutes."

_P_oor_ Gumshoe, _thought Phoenix, as Detective Gumshoe rushed through the crowd and up to the witness stand. _I bet he wasn't looking forward to seeing her again. _

"We already know your name," snapped Franziska. "You may therefore dispense with the introductions. You will instead testify about the results of the murder investigation. Quickly!" Again, she cracked her whip, and Gumshoe jumped.

"Ah…y-yes sir!" Taking a deep breath, he shot a quick, desperate look at Phoenix before beginning a rapid, almost frantic account of the details of the case.

"Th-the victim, Miss Myriam Scuttlebutt, was the editor of a website she called 'The L.A. News of the Weird.,'" he said. "It was some kind of scandal paper, or something like that. Um, the hotel maid found the body at around eight o'clock AM on the morning of New Year's Day, so, uh, yesterday. Death was due to a gunshot straight to the chest, and it wasn't pretty. There was a lot of blood, um, everywhere. A couple of the rookies started to feel faint, and we had to send them out the room so that they didn't end up polluting the crime scene if you know what I mean."

He grinned, and Franziska glared. Again, she cracked her whip, and again, Gumshoe stood instantly to attention.

"S-sorry," he stammered. "Uh, where was I? Right, the wound. The autopsy report says that the murder took place around one o'clock AM on January first. I have the autopsy report right here."

He produced it, and handed it to the judge.

"The court accepts this autopsy report into evidence," declared the judge.

"Tell us about the fingerprints at the crime scene," Franziska commanded.

This time, Gumshoe looked really unhappy. "Well, uh," he mumbled, darting a quick, miserable look at Edgeworth, "Mr. Edgeworth's fingerprints were all over the place. They were on the table, on a drinking glass, and on the door handle, too."

"And," insisted Franziska, "what is so remarkable about that, Detective? Why were the defendant's fingerprints of such particular interest?"

Gumshoe's shoulders slumped in defeat. "There…there weren't any other fingerprints in the whole room," he mumbled. "It was like no one else had ever been in there, before. We couldn't even find Miss Scuttlebutt's fingerprints on anything. The room was completely clean…except for traces of Mr. Edgeworth."

"Yes," murmured Franziska. "Yes, exactly. A perfectly conclusive investigation. Well done, Scruffy."

"Thank you, sir." Gumshoe sighed.

_Okay, _thought Phoenix. _So far, so good. There wasn't anything in there that I didn't already know._

"Your Honor," he said, "The defense would like to cross-examine the witness."

The judge just nodded. "Of course. Very well."

"Thank you." Phoenix cleared his throat. "Detective Gumshoe, you say that you found Mr. Edgeworth's fingerprints in Miss Scuttlebutt's hotel room. I'm guessing that the police assume those fingerprints were left on the day of the murder. Is that right?"

"Uh…yeah, pal," agreed Gumshoe. "That's sure what it looks like, anyway."

Phoenix nodded.

_Sorry about this, Edgeworth, _he thought. _Unfortunately, it's the only way. _

"The defense proposes that Mr. Edgeworth's fingerprints have nothing to do with the murder," he declared. "I can prove that Edgeworth had good reason to be in Miss Scuttlebutt's hotel room days before the murder took place."

A strangled little choking sound escaped Edgeworth. Franziska glanced over at him in surprise, but Phoenix kept his eyes on the judge.

"Please," he said, producing a few pieces of stapled printer paper from his briefcase. "Take a look at this."

The judge examined it for a moment.

"It's one of the recent articles from the 'L.A. News of the Weird,'" Phoenix explained. "You'll notice that it's dated 'December 25, 2027.'"

"Yes," agreed the judge. "Christmas day, in fact. It seems that our Miss Scuttlebutt had an excellent work ethic. Apparently, she didn't take vacation days."

_Uh, I guess that's one way of looking at it, _thought Phoenix. "Um, anyway," he continued, "this article contains an interview that Edgeworth gave to Miss Scuttlebutt in person, in her own hotel room. According to her own introduction, the interview took place only minutes before she posted the article on the website."

"Yes…yes, I see," mused the judge, apparently in the process of reading through the interview. "Ah, but…Mr. Wright! This…this can't be!"

"Huh?" Phoenix blinked. "What can't be?"

"In this interview," explained the judge, "Mr. Edgeworth denies that the two of you were ever romantically involved! Are you saying that it was all a well-crafted, malicious lie? Did this reporter really make up the whole thing? I…I'm genuinely not sure what to say."

"Ah...OBJECTION! What is this nonsense?" Franziska looked taken aback. "What 'relationship' are you referring to? Let me see that."

She reached over and snatched the article from the judge, who released it without putting up much of a fight.

_Oh, _thought Phoenix. _That's right. Franziska's been in Germany. She has no idea what's been happening here. This could be kind of a shock. _

"I feel as though my dreams have been crushed," sighed the judge unhappily. "I was so fond of the idea of the two of you as a couple. To think that I allowed myself to get so caught up in a load of meaningless gossip. I'm…I can't help but be ashamed."

Phoenix and Edgeworth exchanged a quick look.

"Uh, with respect, Your Honor," mumbled Phoenix, "Edgeworth and my relationship isn't really what we should be focusing on at the moment. We're in the middle of trying a man for murder."

The judge took a deep breath. "Well, yes, that's true, of course," he agreed. "Forgive me. I may have gotten a bit carried away."

_Just a little, _thought Phoenix. "Anyway," he continued, "it's likely that Edgeworth left his fingerprints all over the hotel room during that interview, which, as you know, took place a little over a week before the murder. In that case, the fingerprints aren't evidence of murder. He had a perfectly good reason for being there, and when he left, Miss Scuttlebutt was still very much alive."

"Hmm," mused the judge. "I see. Yes, that does seem to make sense."

Franziska crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "In that case, Phoenix Wright, Scruffy here would no doubt have found the fingerprints of every other person who had been in the room since the interview a week ago."

"I don't think so," insisted Phoenix. "Actually, I don't think anyone else had been in the room, other than Miss Scuttlebutt herself. She was a pretty reclusive person, and she didn't have visitors. My own understudy tried for weeks to find her without any success. What's more, Miss Scuttlebutt herself used gloves in her own room, probably to avoid leaving any of her own fingerprints. Isn't that right, Detective?"

Gumshoe nodded. "Yeah, pal, that's right. We found a bunch of empty glove boxes in the room when we searched it. Guess she was pretty paranoid."

Phoenix was starting to feel the stirrings of success in his chest, but Franziska didn't look even slightly put out.

"Objection! There is another possibility," she informed him. "No doubt, this is the true explanation of the lack of fingerprints. The hotel had a maid, correct? It was she who found the body of the victim."

Again, Gumshoe nodded. "Right. Edith Peaper."

Franziska shrugged. "A maid's job is to clean, and a good maid in a well-managed hotel cleans frequently, perhaps every day. It is more than likely that this maid had obliterated any traces of other fingerprints during the multiple times she must have cleaned the room after this alarming interview of yours. In that case, any fingerprints found on the day of the murder would necessarily have been left very recently. Unless you can explain why the defendant was in the room the morning before the murder, Mr. Phoenix Wright, then I'm afraid your arguments amount to nothing at all."

"Ack," muttered Maya. "That's…that's actually a really good point!"

_Yeah, _agreed Phoenix, _except that she's forgetting one little but very important detail._

"Objection," he declared, slamming both hands down on the bench for emphasis. "If the maid had cleaned recently, then we would have found HER fingerprints in the hotel room."

Franziska just raised an eyebrow. "Good maids," she informed him, "always wear gloves. When I was a little girl, my father once fired a woman for getting her filthy little fingerprints all over my dressing table. It's not done."

While Phoenix tried to come up with some way to refute that, a low but insistent murmur began in the gallery as people leaned over to discuss the question of maids and fingerprints with their neighbors.

"Order," demanded the judge, banging his gavel. "I will have order in this courtroom!"

Phoenix, Franziska, and the judge all waited while the hubbub slowly quieted down.

"It seems," began the judge eventually, "that we must answer the question of whether the maid did or did not clean the hotel room after the interview took place, on Christmas day. Miss von Karma, are you prepared to answer his question?"

Franziska shrugged. "I? Do I look like a hotel maid? We'll have to summon the maid herself to give evidence. Scruffy!" She snapped her fingers, and Detective Gumshoe was instantly attentive. "Go find that maid and bring her to me in ten minutes. In the meantime, we'll no doubt enjoy a recess."

"Ah, stammered the judge, "y-yes, of course. A ten minute recess sounds like an excellent idea. This court will reconvene in-!"

He raised his gavel, but Gumshoe cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable.

"S-sorry, Miss von Karma," he mumbled, "but we haven't been able to get a hold of Miss Peaper since she called in the crime. We had some questions we wanted to ask her, but after she phoned in the murder, apparently she just left. Uh, she was supposed to have that week off, you see. The manager said she'd planned a vacation months in advance. I told him he should have stopped her, but it's…well, it's kind of a little late, now."

"What? Nonsense." Franziska cracked her whip. "I told you to find her. Find her, wherever she is, and bring her back from her ill-timed little pleasure jaunt. The prosecution requires her testimony. Her poorly-laid plans are of little importance to me."

"But, sir," insisted Gumshoe as the gallery began to get noisy again, "she could be anywhere. We're working to track her down, but we have no idea where she went on vacation, and she's not picking up her cell phone. It could take days for us to find her. You have to understand, we're trying as hard as we can, but-!"

"I will not listen to your excuses," snapped Franziska. Her whip cracked right underneath Gumshoe's chin, and he squeaked in panic.

The judge cleared his throat. "It seems," he began, "that Miss Peaper will not be able to join us today. Detective Gumshoe, I respect that you and your men are working as hard as you can. However, I believe this testimony needs to be heard. You have until tomorrow morning at ten o'clock AM to locate and subpoena Miss Peaper, at which time this court will reconvene. Mr. Wright, Miss von Karma, please continue your investigations in the interim. Court is now adjourned."

**A short time later, in the defendant's lobby…**

As soon as they were all out of the courtroom, Franziska made a bee-line over to Edgeworth and his guard.

"What," she demanded, gesturing emphatically at the printed tabloid article, "is THIS?"

_How do you still have that? _Phoenix frowned. _Isn't that evidence? _

"Ah…Franziska," Edgeworth looked startled. "What a…pleasant surprise. I had no idea you'd be joining us for this special occasion. No doubt this arrangement was Wright's idea."

_Sure, _thought Phoenix. _Don't thank me, or anything. I still say it was a good idea._

"Phoenix Wright." Franziska turned on her heel to glare at him. "This article…what does it mean? Have you compromised my brother's honor?"

"What?" Phoenix stared. "What's that supposed to mean? He's a grown man! He's thirty five! I can't 'compromise' anything! He can make his own decisions!"

"I shall take that as a confession," snarled Franziska. Dropping the printed article at Phoenix's feet, she stormed towards the courthouse doors.

"Make no mistake, Phoenix Wright," she called over her shoulder as she left. "I will get to the bottom of this matter. Tomorrow, I'll see you in court. Prepare yourself well."

With that, she was gone, leaving Phoenix, Edgeworth, and Maya all staring uncertainly after her.

"Uh, Nick, when she says she'll 'get to the bottom of this,'" wondered Maya aloud, "do you think she means the murder case, or your relationship with Mr. Edgeworth?"

Phoenix shrugged. _Honestly, _he thought, _I have no idea. Both, probably._

Edgeworth just sighed.

"Well," said Phoenix, "at least we've got more time, now. That's something."

"Indeed," muttered Edgeworth. "Admittedly, I can't say that I'm looking forward to it."

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **So, those of you who are working on challenges, how are they going? Some of you have only a little more than twenty four hours left! I can't wait to see what you write!

Hmm, maybe I should do one, too. I could do a challenge-based companion piece to this story.

Why not? I'll get started right away.


	31. At Last, My Turnabout - Thirty

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this whole "update constantly" thing is not going quite as well as I'd hoped. I know EXACTLY what needs to happen in this chapter, and yet I just spent an hour sitting and staring my computer screen, unable to actually write anything.

Maybe once I start writing, things will get easier. Let's see. We have to get through this trial. I already know the order of events, the evidence presented, and how it's going to conclude. How hard can this possibly be?

*headdesk*

* * *

**Chapter Thirty: Shot Through the Heart – Part Three**

**January 3, 2029**

**10:00 AM**

**Courtroom No. 2**

"Nick," remarked Maya as they took their places behind the defense's bench the next morning."Um…Ms. von Karma doesn't really seem to be herself, lately."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _You can say that again._

The usually haughty and almost obnoxiously arrogant Franziska von Karma was obviously a mess. She stood tensely behind the prosecutor's bench, both arms crossed over her chest while beads of sweat ran down her striking nose and under her collar. The look in her eyes was almost murderous with rage, and the whip in her right hand was swaying slightly as her fingers clenched and unclenched around the handle.

_Uh oh, _thought Phoenix, starting to feel less confident by the second. _That can't be good._

"Hey," suggested Maya eagerly, "do you think she's upset because she's worried about losing?"

Phoenix shook his head. "No…I don't think that's it. I think she's starting to panic because she knows that she's going to win."

"But…Ms. von Karma loves winning," Maya reminded him. "It's pretty much the only thing she cares about, isn't it?"

_And that, _decided Phoenix, _must be part of the problem. She's probably having an existential crisis over there. She's questioning her life goals. The world has stopped making the von Karma version of 'sense.' Jeez, I almost feel bad for her._

Suddenly straightening up, Franziska cleared her throat. "The prosecution," she announced, "is ready to call it's first witness. No doubt this testimony will prove conclusively to this court that Mr. Phoenix Wright's case is nothing but a foolish frippery of fabricated falsehoods."

"Wow," said Maya. "That's…wait, what did that even mean?"

"Scruffy," snapped Franziska. "Retrieve the maid." She snapped her fingers, and Detective Gumshoe hurried off before she could crack the whip.

_Oh well, _thought Phoenix. _So, maybe she's not as troubled by all of this as I originally thought. Existential crisis may have been a bit too strong of a phrase…_

"Witness," demanded Franziska as soon as a ponderous older woman dressed all in pink had ascended the stand. "Your name and occupation, immediately."

The witness raised a dubious eyebrow at Franziska."Goodness," she murmured in an unexpectedly high-pitched voice. "It looks like someone never learned any manners. Hasn't anyone ever taught you to say 'please?'"

"I am familiar with the word," retorted Franziska, stroking the whip handle. "I do as I please, and you, also, shall do as I please for you to do. At the moment, witness, I please for you to state your name and occupation! Or, would you rather I found another way to encourage you?"

Suddenly she cracked the whip just a few feet in front of her own face, fearless and unblinking as the sound echoed around the courtroom.

The witness' eyes widened. "Gracious," she murmured. "I…my name is Miss Edith Peaper, and I am presently employed in the maid service at the lovely Gatewater hotel. I understand that there's something you all would like some help with."

"Witness," asked the judge, "where were you yesterday, when the police attempted to contact you?"

Miss Peaper gave him a sweet little smile. "My oldest grandchild was having a birthday party," she informed him. "He lives in Kansas, so we had a bit of a flight. They don't let you have your phones out on the airplane."

"Nevertheless," insisted the judge, "as I'm sure you are aware, you should have waited at the scene after finding the body. You completely disregarded appropriate emergency protocol."

"Well, I've never found a body before," retorted Miss Peaper, shrugging. "How was I supposed to know what to do?"

Franziska snapped her whip impatiently. "Enough of this irrelevant nonsense! Witness." Suddenly, Franziska was smiling one of her most alarmingly innocent smiles. "Please, if you wouldn't mind, this court has one very simple question for you. Answer it succinctly, and you will no doubt be able to return immediately to the waiting arms of your grandchildren."

The witness beamed. "Ah, now, that's much better. Much better, young lady. Go right ahead."

Phoenix noticed that Franziska flinched just a little at the phrase 'young lady.'

"Between Christmas day and New Year's eve," she demanded, "did you at any time clean Ms. Myriam Scuttlebutt's hotel room?"

For a moment, Miss Peaper looked genuinely scandalized. "Did I…clean it? Well, of course I cleaned it. I take my job very seriously, you know. What kind of a maid would I be if I went around letting everything get dirty?"

_Ack, _thought Phoenix. _I was hoping she wasn't going to say that._

"You see?" Franziska gave the judge a little bow. "As I suspected, the room had, of course, been cleaned."

"Oh, but…can you keep a secret?" Suddenly, Miss Peaper wasn't quite so smiley. "I…well, since this is a court of law, and you fine people seem to want to know so badly, I didn't exactly finish cleaning Miss Myriam's room, that day. You see…I got interrupted in the middle, so I only managed to finish cleaning the bathroom before I had to get out, quick."

"Nick," gasped Maya. "She only cleaned the bathroom! Mr. Edgeworth's prints weren't in the bathroom, right?"

"Your Honor," said Phoenix, "the defense requests a complete testimony as to what happened the day that the witness tried to clean Ms. Scuttlebutt's hotel room."

The judge just nodded. "Of course," he said. "After all, it would be a shame to have called her in here and away from her grandchild like that without making the best use of her. Well, witness? Please, testify about that day."

Miss Peaper nodded, gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling with her finger at her lips for a moment, and then began.

"Miss Myriam was a strange one," she told them. "Really unusual in her habits. She just hated having anyone clean the place, and if she was in the room, then she wouldn't let me in, no matter how hard I tried. Still, it's my job to keep things tidy, and I'm really very good at my job if you don't mind me saying so myself, so, whenever Miss Myriam left the room, I'd sneak in and clean up before she had a chance to stop me."

"Wow," whispered Maya. "That's real dedication!"

"It's also unwanted intrusion," returned Phoenix. "I don't think I'd want that woman as my maid."

"I think," mused Miss Peaper, "that it was the morning of December thirty-first when I was downstairs, and I heard the manager in his office calling up to Miss Myriam's room. He said something about wanting to see her at noon, so I got everything ready and snuck into her room just after twelve o'clock so that I could clean. Sure enough, she wasn't there, and I figured she must be with the manager. You should have seen that room, though…ooh! It was a horrible mess. There were papers, notebooks, manuscripts and what-not lying all over the place. You think she'd use that big fancy computer she had on her desk, but it looked like she liked taking her notes the old fashioned way.

Anyway, I went straight to the bathroom, because the bathroom's always the worst, messiest place in the room. I'd just finished refilling the toilet-paper dispenser when I heard the door open, and I knew Miss Myriam had come back in. There was nothing I could do, so I came straight out, and when she saw me she was livid. I mean, I think she was livid, because I couldn't really see much of her through that tattered old box she always wears on her head, but she hissed at me and told me to get out, so I did. It's her loss, too. I could have done so much more good for that pigsty she lives in, but oh well. A woman can only be expected to make so much effort."

That appeared to be that, and Miss Peaper took a deep breath. "So," she asked. "How was that for a testimony?"

Franziska shrugged."Acceptable, witness. Extremely clear-cut, although I'm afraid I must disagree that you're 'good' at your profession. No maid should ever intrude where she is unwanted. A woman, even a strange and unappealing woman like Ms. Scuttlebutt is deserving of her privacy."

"Well," muttered Miss Peaper, huffily, "I don't know about that. You didn't see how she lived."

"Your Honor," began Phoenix.

The judge just nodded. "Yes, yes," he said. "The cross-examination. Go right ahead, Mr. Wright."

Phoenix gave Miss Peaper his full attention. "There are just two things in your testimony that I'd like more information about," he told her. "First of all, can you tell us exactly how long it was from when Ms. Scuttlebutt left her hotel room until she returned?"

Miss Peaper frowned thoughtfully. "Afraid I can't," she said. "It…might have been about forty minutes, give or take. Sure, that sounds about right."

Phoenix made a quick note of that. "Thank you. Now, this question is important, Miss Peaper. Do you know, or did you overhear, by any chance, why it was that the hotel manager wanted to speak to Ms. Scuttlebutt on that day?"

Miss Peaper planted both hands on her hips and glared at Phoenix. "I am not that kind of a woman," she told him sternly. "I am nothing like those horrible housemaids you read about in old English detective novels. I do not eavesdrop on other people's conversations, and if I do happen to overhear, I certainly do not spread gossip."

"Wait, Nick," insisted Maya. "Didn't she say she went up to Ms. Scuttlebutt's room because she was listening in on the manager's phone conversation? I Um, that's a contradiction. I bet she's totally the gossipy type."

Phoenix ignored her. "You're absolutely certain, then, that you don't know the reason? Do you have any suspicions? Maybe a guess?"

Before Miss Peaper had a chance to answer, Franziska cracked her whip.

"Objection," she snapped. "Phoenix Wright, what is the purpose of these questions? The conversation between that horrible box-woman and the hotel manager has nothing whatsoever to do with this case. I begin to get bored with your foolishness."

"Miss von Karma," said the judge, coughing anxiously. "You will refer to the deceased with a bit more respect, if you please."

Franziska ignored him. "Well, Mr. Phoenix Wright? Do you have any good reason to believe that the box-woman's conversation with the hotel manager is of any real importance?"

"Of course it is! It's definitely, super important," insisted Maya. "Otherwise we wouldn't have asked. Right, Nick?"

_Um, well, not necessarily, _thought Phoenix, fidgeting uncomfortably as his lower back began to ache and he wished someone had thought to provide the barely-recovered invalid defense with a chair. _I mean, she might be right, and that conversation might have nothing to do with this case, but I can't be certain. It's new information, anyway, and at this point I need about as much information as I can possibly get. Every little bit helps, even if none of it seems exactly relevant at the moment. Okay…okay, so maybe I'm just stalling for time. Gah. _

"Nick?" Maya was frowning at him. "Earth to Nick! We're in the middle of a trial, here! Don't doze off!"

_I'm not 'dozing off, _'he thought. _It's called 'thinking,' Maya. You should try it, sometime._

"Yes," he said aloud, nodding emphatically. "The defense argues that the conversation between Miss Scuttlebutt and the hotel manager is of absolutely vital importance. There's no way this court can reach a verdict until we've heard more about that conversation, and I think that we're going to have to hear testimony from the hotel manager himself, to make sure that we don't leave any confusing loose ends."

"What?" The judge looked surprised. "Really? But, Mr. Wright-!"

"Nonsense," muttered Franziska, shaking her head. "Foolish nonsense spouted by a foolish fool on a fool's errand. No further testimony on this subject could possibly be required. I-!"

Phoenix caught her eye, and then shot a quick, significant look at Edgeworth in the defendant's chair.

Suddenly, Franziska didn't look quite so certain of herself anymore. "I…ah…"

_Come on, Franziska, _thought Phoenix. _Work with me, here. It's for a good cause, remember?_

Franziska's face screwed up into a horrible grimace. "Curse you, Phoenix Wright," she muttered. "Y-yes, Your Honor, I…I am forced, albeit against my will, to agree with the defense in this case. We…we must hear further testimony from the hotel manager."

Maya was clearly impressed. "Wow," she said. "Did Ms. von Karma actually just agree with you?"

_She sure did, _thought Phoenix, _and it looks like she isn't enjoying the taste of that in her mouth. I'd better make this count if I don't want to die by the whip. _

"W-well," mumbled the judge, taken aback. "Since the two of you are so unexpectedly in agreement, then I suppose we must call the witness."

"Scruffy," barked Franziska, brandishing her whip at him.

Detective Gumshoe didn't have to be asked twice. Before she'd ever finished her sentence, he was off out the door, presumably on his way to the Gatewater hotel to retrieve the manager.

"In the meantime," announced the judge, "we will take a thirty minute recess."

**A short time later, in the defendant's lobby…**

During the recess, Phoenix found Edgeworth in the lobby.

"Uh," Phoenix said, trying to sound positive. "That went pretty well, I thought."

Edgeworth did not look impressed. "You're sweating," he informed Phoenix. "You look terrible. It's not a comforting sight."

Phoenix sighed. "Well, honestly, we still don't have a ton to work with, here. I don't suppose you have anything helpful, Edgeworth? Maybe a solid, unshakable alibi for the time of the murder?"

Edgeworth shrugged. "I was in my office."

"What? Phoenix frowned. "On New Year's Eve? At one o'clock in the morning? You don't seriously expect me to believe-!"

"The date is irrelevant," interrupted Edgeworth. "I had a substantial amount of work to do, and so I remained at the office very late. There's nothing unusual about it. Much like the dubiously-motivated Miss Peaper, I, too, take my work very seriously."

_Yeah, _agreed Phoenix thoughtfully, _I know you do. Actually, maybe it isn't so weird that you were at work right after New Year's It's the kind of joyless and anti-social thing you'd probably do on a holiday. _

"And, uh…I guess nobody can confirm that you were in your office," said Phoenix, not quite daring to hope.

Edgeworth shook his head. "As far as I know, I was the only one in the courthouse at the time."

For some reason, Phoenix suddenly found himself feeling lonely. _There's something really sad about the idea of Edgeworth being all alone on New Year's Eve, _he thought. He couldn't help but picture Edgeworth sitting there in his office, focused on his paperwork, not even looking up when the clock struck midnight while all over the state, everyone else cheered, kissed each other, and had another drink.

"You could have called," said Phoenix quietly. "I would have come over."

Edgeworth shook his head. "I have no objection to solitude," he retorted. "I enjoy the peace and quiet."

Phoenix just shrugged. "Sure, I bet you do. Well, next year we'll do New Year's together. Who knows; you might even enjoy it."

"Wright," began Edgeworth warningly, but Phoenix ignored him.

"I've never seen you drunk," he went on hastily before Edgeworth had a chance to remind him yet again that they weren't actually a couple. "I bet that'd be fun. Even if you're the morose kind of drunk, I'd probably have a good time just trying to cheer you up. We should try it, some time."

The look on Edgeworth's face flickered for a moment before he coughed and turned away. There was a dull, aching pain in Phoenix's chest, and he had a sneaking suspicion that it had nothing to do with his damaged ribs.

"Hey," he said. "Um-!"

Detective Gumshoe chose that moment to burst through the courthouse doors, panting, red-faced and out of breath.

"I got him," he managed, taking a moment to wheeze a few times. "The manager. I got him, Mr. Wright! He's outside in the car."

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "In that case, we should return to the courtroom. The trial will reconvene in five minutes."

_Right, _thought Phoenix, finding that he was suddenly a lot more fired up than he'd been at the start. _This is it. I have to make a big push, here. Edgeworth, I'm going to win this trial for you, and when I do, it's going to be time to talk about us. _

With that thought firmly in mind, Phoenix returned to the courtroom and joined Maya behind the bench.

"Detective," asked the judge, "were you able to find the manager?"

Gumshoe grinned eagerly. "Yes, Your Honor! I brought him straight here. He's waiting in the lobby."

The judge nodded. "Bailiff, please go and get the witness. Ms. von Karma, Mr. Wright, are you both prepared?"

"The defense is ready," agreed Phoenix, nodding.

Franziska, however, didn't say anything. She didn't even bother looking up from her notes, which she seemed to be the process of shredding into little, tiny pieces.

After a moment, the bailiff returned and led the Gatewater Hotel manager to the stand. Phoenix thought he recognized the man's face, although it took him a few seconds to figure out just where he'd seen the manager before.

_Oh yeah, _he realized as the penny finally dropped. _This guy used to be a bell-boy at the Gatewater. He was an important part of Mia's murder investigation. Wow…this case is just full of déjà-vu, huh?_

Maya did not look happy. "That…that guy," she mumbled. "He was part of Mia's murder case, right?"

She shrank back a little bit, and Phoenix rested a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Well, Ms. von Karma?" The judge shrugged.

Franziska bit down hard on her lip, then shot Phoenix a quick, angry look. Phoenix did his best to look innocent and unconcerned.

"Witness," she snapped. "State your name and occupation. Quickly."

The hotel manager beamed around at them all. "My name is Dunstan P. Gatewater," he informed them, "and I am the present manager of the Gatewater hotel. Well…honestly, my name is Wade, not Gatewater. Dunstan P. Wade. However, when I assumed the role of hotel manager, I assumed the last name 'Gatewater,' for the sake of clarity."

"What?" Maya blinked. "How does that make anything clearer? Isn't that kind of confusing?"

_This guy has always been kind of confused, _thought Phoenix. _Let's just let it go and get to the important part._

"It's a pleasure to see you again, sir," said the manager, beaming his perfect little hotel-service smile at Phoenix.

Phoenix coughed awkwardly.

"Witness." Franziska pointed a finger at him, raising her whip menacingly in the other hand. "We have one question for you, and one question only. You will testify about the meeting that you held with Ms. Myriam Scuttlebutt on December the thirty-first. Do not forget details or hedge significant points. You may start now."

Not batting an eyelash or looking even the slightest bit surprised, the manager nodded and began his testimony.

"Well, it's very simple, madam. Only a few weeks ago, I was delighted to discover that the famous Ms. Myriam Scuttlebutt was staying in our very own Gatewater Hotel! You can imagine, of course how thrilled I was, and so as soon as I had a free hour in my schedule, I called up to her room and asked if her she'd be kind enough to come down to my office. We had our little meeting at noon, but of course you can probably guess what I wanted to ask her."

Phoenix blinked. _Nope. I have no idea. I'm happy to say that I have no idea how your twisted mind works._

Franziska lazily waved her whip over her head, then cracked it dramatically before laying it down again on the bench.

The manager, apparently, got the message. "Ahem," he said. "Well, then I'll tell you. You'll see immediately what a wonderful idea I had. You see, I knew that Ms. Scuttlebutt was a renowned for her shocking and terrifying stories about the supernatural, the gruesome, and the freakishly unexpected. Knowing that, I asked her if she'd be willing to write a blood-curdling article describing a creepy or supernatural event that took place at the Gatewater Hotel."

"Eek," squeaked Maya. "I knew that place was haunted!"

"Of course," continued the manager, "Nothing truly terrifying had happened recently, so I asked Ms. Scuttlebutt to use her wonderful imagination and to come up with a story that would strike terror into the hearts of her readers."

"What…what nonsense," muttered Franziska. "Why on earth would you request something like that?"

The manager rubbed his hands together eagerly. "I felt that the publicity would be excellent for the hotel's reputation," he informed her. "That kind of scintillatingly creepy story would be sure to draw hundreds, no, thousands of new guests! It was the perfect plan, and Ms. Scuttlebutt herself was delighted with the idea. During our meeting, I gave her a few suggestions for stories, and she wrote them down in her notebook. She was so excited to start writing that she returned very quickly to her own room. Our meeting couldn't have lasted longer than twenty minutes. She was that enthusiastic, and of course, I was thrilled!"

_This guy hasn't changed a bit, _thought Phoenix. _Sheesh…_

"Of course," finished the manager sadly, "I was devastated to hear about her passing, yesterday. What a great loss to journalism, and what a horrible disappointment for me, as you can see. After all, I was relying on her to promote the hotel. It was really, terribly disappointing."

The manager sighed dramatically. Franziska raised an eyebrow.

"Your idea intrigues me," she told him. "It's very true that pain and anguish can make for an excellent and entertaining draw. Perhaps you and I should speak later about some ideas that I might have for your business."

The manager beamed.

_Well there's a match I hadn't expected, _thought Phoenix. _I guess it sort of makes sense in an extremely messed-up way. _

"Your Honor," he announced. "I'd like to cross-examine."

"Go ahead, Mr. Wright," replied the judge.

This time, Phoenix took a moment to consult his notes. _Contradictions, _he thought. _At this stage, everything rests on the contradictions. His testimony sounded pretty straightforward, but there was one thing, just one little thing that didn't seem quite right. I mean, it's probably nothing, but…_

"Mr. Gatewater," said Phoenix, "correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you said that your meeting with Ms. Scuttlebutt took no longer than twenty minutes. Is that right?"

The manager nodded. "Oh, yes," he agreed. "As I said, she couldn't wait to start working on her story."

Phoenix frowned. "There's a problem here," he said. "You say that the meeting took only twenty minutes, but Miss Peaper, the hotel maid, very clearly stated that the meeting took almost forty five minutes!" Jabbing an accusing finger at the witness, Phoenix drew himself up to his full height, wincing as his lower lumbars all began to protest painfully. "That, Your Honor, is a clear contradiction!"

Franziska raised an eyebrow, and rested her head on one hand. "Foolishness," she sighed. "It is hardly a 'clear' contradiction, Phoenix Wright. That maid's testimony was, in itself, not very clear. As I remember. Miss Peaper said that the meeting between the manager and the box-woman lasted for 'maybe,' or 'probably' about forty-five minutes. She was hardly certain as certain of her facts as you seem to be."

_Right, _thought Phoenix unhappily. _Uh, I knew that! But…um…_

"E-even so," he stammered, "There's a huge difference between twenty minutes and forty-five minutes! Even if she wasn't totally certain of the time, Miss Peaper couldn't have been THAT far off."

Franziska waved that away with one hand. "Perhaps her watch was working improperly," she suggested. "Perhaps she simply has an unbelievably inaccurate sense of time. It would be impossible to prove. Besides, Phoenix Wright, the matter isn't relevant at all."

"It's relevant," insisted Phoenix, "because the discrepancy between the two testimonies means that Mr. Gatewater could be lying! Uh, or, wait, Miss Peaper might be lying! A-anyway, someone is probably lying! That's…that' s very important!"

Franziska still did not look impressed, and frankly neither did the judge.

"You're going to have to do better than that, Mr. Phoenix Wright," remarked Franziska.

_Yeah, I know, _thought Phoenix. _I'm thinking as fast as I can! If one of the two of them is lying about the time, then what could that possibly mean? Miss Peaper said that she was in Myriam's hotel room by herself for about forty-five minutes. What if Myriam actually came back during that time, and Miss Peaper killed her? No, wait, that makes no sense. The time of death was one o'clock in the morning. That can't have happened. _

He glanced over at Edgeworth, and noticed that Edgeworth's face had begun to twitch the way it sometimes did when he was beginning to panic.

_Think, Phoenix, think, _he told himself, taking a deep breath. _Let's turn this around and look at it from the other angle. What if the hotel manager is lying? What would that mean? He says that Myriam was in his office for only about twenty minutes, and that she ran off pretty quickly because she was desperate to start writing. Why would he lie about that? There's no reason, unless…well, what if that's not actually what they talked about? What if they were actually in there for much longer, talking about something totally different? What if that something ended up being a motive for the manager to kill her?_

"Nick," hissed Maya. "Everyone's waiting!"

Phoenix just nodded. "I'm sorry. I just needed a moment to collect my thoughts. Detective Gumshoe, are you still here?"

"Yeah, pal," called Gumshoe from over by the prosecution's bench. "Sure, what's up?"

"I need you to try to remember the way the victim's hotel room looked when you first conducted your investigation," Phoenix told him. "According to Mr. Gatewater's testimony, Ms. Scuttlebutt had written down in her notebook several ideas for shocking stories about the hotel. Since Miss Scuttlebutt returned to her room after her meeting with the manager, any notes she took during that meeting would have been in her room at the time of the murder. Do you remember seeing anything like that?"

Gumshoe blinked. "Uh…no, pal, I guess I don't," he mumbled. "I mean, just like the maid said, the place was a mess, and there were tons of papers and notebooks all over the floor. I didn't exactly go through and read them all, though. I mean…seems like it would have been kind of an invasion of privacy."

"Agreed," murmured Franziska. "Well done, Scruffy. You are slightly closer to a real man than I had at first suspected."

Gumshoe beamed uncertainly.

"Your Honor," insisted Phoenix, turning his attention back to the judge. "It is absolutely crucial that we find out if those notes existed or not. If they're in the hotel room, then that's fine. If they aren't, however, then that means Mr. Gatewater is lying, and if he is lying, then that casts significant doubt as to the nature of his relationship with the victim. The defense proposes that a verdict cannot be reached until we figure out what's actually going on, here."

The hotel manager looked startled and extremely pleased. "Oh! How shocking! Me? You think I might have done it? Well, of course, that's..that's absolutely wonderful. Just think of the publicity the hotel will received when the newspapers report that the manager himself was almost accused of murder!"

"Objection," shouted Franziska, shaking her head and pointing a finger at Phoenix. "This nonsense cannot continue forever, Phoenix Wright. Your eternal stalling is fooling no one. If the notes are not found in the hotel room, then perhaps the box-woman simply disposed of them elsewhere!"

"No, I don't think so," retorted Phoenix, shaking his head. "Remember, Miss Scuttlebutt was a recluse. She was the kind of woman who wiped her own fingerprints off of her own bathroom counter. She didn't leave the hotel room unless she absolutely had to, and she probably wouldn't have risked letting her notes be discovered by anyone else. The defense is willing to argue that, based on the established character of the victim, there is no chance whatsoever that the notes were disposed of outside of the hotel room."

A murmur had begun now in the gallery as people began to discuss the case with their neighbors.

"Mr. Wright," said the judge seriously. "I am willing to consider granting our request and postponing the trial for another day, to allow for further investigation of the crime scene."

Phoenix breathed out a long sigh of relief. _Okay, _he thought. _We made it this far, at least._

"However," continued the judge, "be aware that this is the last time I will put off declaring a verdict. If you are unable to prove the hotel manager's involvement with this crime, I will have no choice but to declare your lover-!"

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "Client," he insisted.

"Ah, right," mumbled the judge, shaking his head. "My apologies. I will have no choice but to declare your client guilty of the murder of Ms. Myriam Scuttlebutt. Do you understand?"

Phoenix looked over at Edgeworth, who was now refusing to make eye contact. Both of Edgeworth's fists were clenched at his sides, and Phoenix was almost sure that he could see Edgeworth shaking.

"Yes, Your Honor," he said quietly. "Yes, I understand."

The judge nodded. "Very well. In that case, court is adjourned."

**Fin.**

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**Author's End Note: **Eek, trials are hard. Anyway, we're almost finished with this one, and thank you for patiently sitting through the whole thing.

There are two huge character moments in the next chapter for two of our favorite women, both of whom have been somewhat neglected thus far.

We're in the home stretch! I wonder if I can write the next chapter today?

…no, honestly, probably not. These trial chapters are long and involved. Will give it a good old college try, though.


	32. At Last, My Turnabout - Thirty One

**Author's Note: **THIS IS IMPORTANT!

I posted two chapters today (chapter thirty, and this chapter, thirty one.) I did not receive a notification when I posted chapter thirty, and I am concerned that you might not have received one, either. You'll want to make sure that you read BOTH chapters, because if you skip that one by mistake, this one will make NO SENSE. If you haven't yet read a chapter today, then please do head back and check out chapter thirty, first.

Sorry about that. I just want to make sure I'm giving you the best possible reading experience!

Apparently there is a huge problem, and FFnet stories are not uploading or appearing properly.

I am not trying to inappropriately plead for reviews, here, but if you see this chapter, I'd really like to know (so that I can be sure it uploaded properly!)

If you don't feel like reviewing, that's totally fine, but in that case, please drop me a quick PM to let me know that you were able to read this. It will keep me from losing any more sleep than I already have. Thank you so much!

* * *

**Chapter Thirty One: Shot Through the Heart – Part Four**

**January 4, 2029**

**10:00 AM**

**Courtroom No. 2**

On the morning of the trial's third day, Phoenix was exhausted. He hadn't been able to sleep the night before, and his nerves were at the breaking point.

_This is it, _he kept telling himself. _Today, I have to win. There aren't any more chances, after this. This is the big finish, one way or another. _

Franziska von Karma, too, looked worse than Phoenix had ever seen her before. Her hair was a mess, her clothes were disheveled, and there was a haunted, glassy sort of look in her eyes that reminded Phoenix of a zombie he'd seen in a low-budget thriller that Trucy once made him watch.

"Phoenix Wright," she muttered, turning and gazing at Phoenix with a mad little glint in her eye, "I…I am going to finish you. One way or another, be it in this courtroom or in the middle of the courthouse parking lot, I am going to destroy you, today. Make your peace with whatever higher power belongs to sniveling, cowardly defense lawyers."

Phoenix eyed Franziska's whip, and swallowed hard.

_Uh, okay, _he thought. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I'm…I'm too young to die._

"Hey, Nick," whispered Maya. "Ms. von Karma looks really upset. Do you think that means she's got more evidence against Mr. Edgeworth?"

"Uh…maybe," mumbled Phoenix. "Or, maybe it means she's just angry that she might be losing the case."

"What?" Maya stared. "But, I thought you said-!"

"Well, here we are again," sighed the judge, rubbing wearily at his forehead as he took his place behind the bench. "I'm expecting great things from today, I think. Ms. von Karma, did you succeed in locating the missing notebook?"

Franziska turned and glared at Gumshoe. "Scruffy!"

"Uh, n-no, your honor," stammered Gumshoe quickly. "Unfortunately, we couldn't find any notes on creepy stories about the Gatewater hotel. My guys and I looked everywhere, and I think we must have read every single piece of paper in that whole room. You'd be amazed at the kind of stuff I learned. I…I don't know if I really want to talk about it. Actually, at this point, I'm not sure what to believe."

"Detective Gumshoe looks tired," remarked Maya. "I guess his can't be an easy job."

Phoenix let himself relax just a little bit. _Thank god, _he thought. _I was right. I was right! The notes weren't there after all. She probably never took them. Okay, this is my opening. There has to be a way that I can use this to end the trial before things get out of hand._

"In that case," Phoenix announced, straightening himself up and trying to ignore the way his sweaty back brace was clinging uncomfortably to his hips, "the defense has a suggestion for the court."

"Very well." The judge nodded. "And what is this suggestion, Mr. Wright?"

_Time for a really good bluff, Phoenix, _he thought. _Bluff like Edgeworth's life depends upon it. _

"Your Honor," announced Phoenix, doing his best to look confident and grave. "I propose that Myriam Scuttlebutt was not killed by Mr. Miles Edgeworth on the morning of New Year's Day. I propose that she was instead murdered by that fanatical bellboy-cum-manager because of some conversation that took place privately between the two of them in his office.

The judge raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? But, Mr. Wright, the manager would have had no reason to kill Ms. Scuttlebutt. As a matter of fact, he was relying on her to assist him with a publicity stunt."

"Well, yes," agreed Phoenix, "if we assume that Mr. Gatewater was telling the truth, then that does seem to be the case. However, the lack of any story notes in Myriam Scuttlebutt's room indicates that the manager was, in fact, lying! He killed her, and he killed her because, uh…"

Here, he faltered, having run abruptly out of steam and bluff.

"Well, Mr. Wright?" The judge was now watching him expectantly. "What reason could the manager possibly have had to kill Ms. Scuttlebutt? I assume that you have some reasonable explanation."

Unfortunately, Phoenix had no explanation, and he knew it.

"Uh, Detective Gumshoe," he said, turning quickly to Gumshoe. "Can you tell this court a little bit about what you found in the notebooks on the floor of victim's hotel room? Was there anything there that might, uh, constitute a motive for murder?"

Murmurs began in the gallery, and Franziska placed her head in one hand. "Foolishness," she sighed. "You have nothing, Phoenix Wright. Nothing at all. You are grasping at straws. It's pathetic to watch."

_I bet you anything it feels more pathetic than it looks, _thought Phoenix helplessly. _Come on, Gumshoe. Give me something. _

Um, honestly, pal," muttered Gumshoe, "there was a ton of what you'd call 'incriminating' stuff about politicians, celebrities, and random people I've never heard of. I mean, I don't know if any of it was true, but if it was, then this city isn't the place I used to think it was, you know? I mean, take the Gatewater hotel, for instance. There was this whole two-page angry letter in one of them notebooks, talking about how the hotel service was bad, and the food was terrible, and the staff was mean and surly…all this nasty stuff. I mean, I've stayed at the hotel before, and it's not THAT bad, but reading all that stuff did kind of make me think, you know? Maybe next time I go on vacation, I'll stay somewhere else."

"Uh, wait, he goes on vacation at the Gatewater?" Maya frowned. "Aren't you supposed to go on vacation, like, somewhere out of town? The Gatewater's right around the corner! That's not much of a vacation."

_Well, _thought Phoenix, _considering the trouble he's gotten into over the years, there's no telling what shape Gumshoe's salary is in, these days. Maybe a stay-cation is all Gumshoe can afford, although it sounds like the Gatewater really isn't what it used to be. Might be better to save money and just stay home, if that's really the kind of hotel service you get, there. _

Something suddenly clicked in the back of Phoenix's mind, and then, with a flash of inspiration, he thought he knew.

"That's it," he whispered. "That's…that's the story. That's the story that Mr. Gatewater wanted to suppress!"

"What?" Franziska scowled. "What nonsense is this?"

"It's simple," insisted Phoenix, his head ringing with relief and excitement. "The hotel manager didn't call Myriam into his office to say that he wanted her to write a story about the hotel. He called her into his office to ask her NOT to write a story about the hotel. Somehow, some way, he found out that she was planning on publishing a scathing article about the terrible Gatewater service, and so he called her in to beg her, or maybe to bribe her not to publish. When she refused, he had no choice. You can see how important that hotel's publicity is to him, right? He crept into her hotel room an hour after midnight, and he killed her to suppress the story! That…that has to be it!"

Planting both hands on his hips, he gazed triumphantly around into the startled faces of the others.

They were all still just staring blankly at him.

"Um…N-Nick," sighed Maya. "That's…it's a really great bluff, but-!"

"Foolish nonsense," muttered Franziska, looking unexpectedly almost disappointed. "A flight of foolish, fool's fancy, and only that. There is no reason whatsoever to believe that anything you have just spouted is the truth. You have not a shred of evidence that supports your ridiculous story, Phoenix Wright."

Even the judge looked put out." That's…hardly conclusive, Mr. Wright," he mumbled. "Truth be told, I was expecting something better from you. You…you do have some way of backing up that wild claim, don't you? Don't you?"

The courtroom was now completely silent, and everyone was gazing expectantly at Phoenix.

_Proof? No, I…I mean, I don't have any proof, _thought Phoenix. _ It's just a theory, but it HAS to be true. If it's not true, then…then that means that I've got nothing, and I can't have nothing. No, this has to be it! _

"There are at least a thousand other possible explanations for what might have occurred in that hotel room," sighed Franziska. "Really…this is rather embarrassing."

The judge just shook his head."Mr. Wright, I warned you yesterday. I told you that if you were unable to prove your theory today in court, I would have no choice but to hand down my verdict. As the facts stand, I think we all know what that verdict must be."

Alarm bells begin ringing in Phoenix's head, and every bone in his body ached at the same time as the horrible truth hit him all at once.

_I really do have nothing, _he realized. _I can't back this up. I can't prove anything. I…I'm going to lose this case._

The low murmur in the gallery rose to a excited chatter. In the defendant's chair, Edgeworth turned pale. He glanced over at Phoenix with a question in his eyes, and Phoenix felt like he was frozen to the spot.

_This…this can't be happening, _he thought desperately. _No…no, Edgeworth, no way. I…I can't lose! I…NO! _

He sagged in defeat as the world around him went fuzzy and indistinct. Wondering if he was going to pass out, he grabbed on to the edge of the bench for support, then looked up and found himself staring again right into Edgeworth's eyes.

"Wright," muttered Edgeworth, cutting through the haze of Phoenix's panic. "What are you doing?"

Phoenix blinked. "H-huh? What? I…I don't know. What am I-?"

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "Stop mouthing like a beached fish and focus. This case is not over. What is it that we do when we've run out of evidence?"

"Uh," mumbled Phoenix. "We…we…" He trailed off, at a loss.

"We rely on testimony," supplied Edgeworth,sighing. "Really. You should be ashamed of yourself. How many years have you been arguing in this court? Pay attention."

_Testimony, _thought Phoenix, shaking his head and trying to clear his mind enough to listen to what Edgeworth was saying. _Testimony. I need…I need more testimony!_

He shot a look over at the hotel manager in the gallery. Mr. Gatewater just shrugged.

"Don't look at me," he said. "This is fascinating and will work wonders for publicity, but I've got nothing else to say."

_I don't care, _thought Phoenix. _I have to get you back up on that witness stand and press you until you break. There aren't any other options, here. You're going to have to testify again, and again, and again, and again, until-!_

"Tch," sighed Franziska, shaking her head. "Phoenix Wright. The time for self-pity is now over."

"But," began Phoenix desperately, "that can't be. I can't give up, yet. You know why!"

"I am not suggesting that you 'give up,'" snarled Franziska. "I am only requesting that you cease this pathetic display. Is it possible that you have not yet realized what your next step is? Look at the woman you've brought to court with you, today. Surely you keep her in that box with you for some reason other than to make idiotic and snide comments at what would seem to be appropriately cute and comedic intervals."

Phoenix turned and looked at Maya.

"Maya," he said. "You're…you're going to testify?"

For a moment, Maya looked startled. Then, slowly, she nodded, her whole face breaking into a surprised sort of smile. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess I am. I…I think I can. Nick, it's been so long since we've been in court together that maybe you forgot. I mean, even I almost forgot, but…I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm not a novice, and I'm not scared. I'm the Master of the Kurain Channeling technique. I can do this! It'll be a piece of cake!"

"You're…you're going to channel Myriam Scuttlebutt?" Phoenix was surprised. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Maya just beamed. "I guess bringing me alone was a good idea after all, huh?"

The judge cleared his throat. "I am not sure how I feel about a channeled testimony," he began. "There have been numerous instances over the years of fraudulent testimony given by spirits, channeled through spirit mediums."

Franziska shrugged. "Living humans frequently give fraudulent testimony as well. There is no difference. The prosecution will allow the spirit to be channeled, assuming that Mr. Phoenix Wright stops gaping at everyone and begins the channeling process immediately."

Phoenix didn't have to be asked twice. "Maya," he said, turning again to face his assistant.

Maya, however, was already gone. In her place sat a smaller, slighter woman in a slim-fitting pencil skirt and a pair of blue and white sneakers. That was all that Phoenix could see of her, since there was an over-sized but relatively sturdy-looking cardboard box covering the rest of her head and torso.

"Kahk-KAHK," hissed Myriam Scuttlebutt's spirit, blinking through the eyeholes of her box. "What…what the heck is going on, here? Where am I?"

The gallery was now in an uproar. The judge had to bang his gavel several times for order, and it took a good three or four minutes for the courtroom to settle down again.

"Witness," demanded Franziska, pointing at the spirit of Scuttlebutt. "You will remove that hideous thing from your head, and face this court!"

"Huh?" Myriam blinked, then shook her head, or rather her box, emphatically. "No way! Are you crazy? I'm not taking my box off in front of all these people! My cover would be completely blown!"

_Uh…that's not really an issue anymore, _thought Phoenix. _You could say that your cover's pretty much blown already. Ugh, 'blown' is actually kind of a tasteless word choice, here…_

"Witness," asked the judge. "Are you…uh, fully aware that you are, in fact, dead?"

"Huh? Of course I know that. Kahk-KAHK!" Myriam crossed her arms over her chest, and somehow managed to look annoyed. "I'm a great observer. I notice everything about people. You can read all about it on my website, the 'L.A. News of the Weird!' Nothing, not even little things that no one else sees get past me!"

"Uh, great," mumbled Phoenix. "In that case-!"

"I am conducting this investigation, Phoenix Wright," snapped Franziska, cracking her whip.

"Kahk…ACK!" Myriam squeaked and jumped, revealing her terrified little white face for just a split second before the box came down to cover her again. "Who…who is this crazy lady?"

"My name," announced Franziska grandly, "is Franziska von Karma, prosecuting prodigy. And now, witness, let us hear your name and occupation."

"Me? I'm…" Myriam shook her box again, even more emphatically, this time. "Wh-what do you want to know my name, for? I don't have to tell you anything! A good journalist never gives up her sources, or her secrets! I'm not spilling, no matter what!"

_This is going to get us nowhere, _thought Phoenix unhappily. _Doesn't she get what's happening, here? Wait, maybe not. _

"Myriam!" Suddenly Athena was standing up in the back row of the gallery. "Myriam, you have to talk to them! Mr. Wright's trying to help you! We want to know who killed you!"

Myriam spun around in surprise. "Athena? Wh-what….?"

"Please, Myriam," added Juniper, standing up alongside Athena. "We need to know the truth. We want you to have justice! I…I won't be able to sleep again until I know what really happened to you. I need to understand. Please, Myriam, for my sake!"

For a second, Myriam said nothing. When she did speak up again, it was in a much smaller, less confident voice. "J-Junie?"

"I wish we could have been better friends," sniffled Juniper. "I should have been nicer. I…I wanted to tell you."

Unexpectedly, Myriam sniffled, and a trickle of water ran down the side of her box.

"Tell us the truth, Myriam," repeated Athena. "Tell us how you died!"

For a long moment, there was silence in the courtroom. Then, slowly, Myriam turned back around to face Phoenix.

"Okay," she said uncertainly. "I'll…I'll talk. I'll spill, but…um, I don't actually know who killed me. It…it all happened kind of fast, and, uh…" She trailed off unhappily. "'Deceased journalist convicts own killer!' That would have been a pretty great scoop, huh?"

Phoenix just shook his head. "We're going to ask you a couple of questions, Myriam, and hopefully your answers will help us find out more about our death. You know all about courtroom procedure, so this should be relatively painless."

Myriam nodded.

"Please," suggested the judge. "Witness, take the stand."

Once Myriam, or rather Maya was in the witness box, Phoenix glanced over at Franziska.

"Witness," demanded Franziska. "Please, testify to the best of your ability as to what you remember from the morning of your murder."

Myriam shifted around uncomfortably. "Kaaaahk," she mumbled. "Uh-uhm, okay. Well…it was right after New Year's Eve, I think, and I was writing at my computer. I had just been doing some online research on a scandalous new scoop…but, don't you dare ask me what that is, because I'm not telling you anything about it! You'll have to read the article when it comes out. Anyway, so I was sitting at my computer, and then suddenly, I thought I heard the door open. I figured it must be that awful sneaky maid who was trying to get a glimpse at my story notes, because I'd found her my room snooping through my stuff earlier in the day! I started to turn around to shout at her, but, uh…before I did, everything went black, and there was…um…a lot of pain." Myriam paused, swallowed, and then added in a slightly quieter voice. "My chest was…on fire, or something, and then it was all over, I guess, because I never woke up after that. It was the most shocking, horrible thing I've ever experienced. I bet it'd make for a really great story, if I could ever figure out how to post it."

"So," asked Phoenix, "then you never actually saw your attacker's face?"

Myriam shook her box. "Nope. That's what I said, isn't it? I wish. I mean, I could take a guess, if you want. Kahk-KAHK. It was probably-!"

"No, thank you," insisted Phoenix hurriedly. "Uh, no guesswork, please."

"Do you think," interrupted Franziska, "that it could have been Mr. Miles Edgeworth who shot you? Think carefully, witness. Speak only if you're certain. None of your fabrications or foolish, falsified nonsense in this courtroom."

Myriam apparently had to think about that for a second. "Edgeworth? You mean ,uh, Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth? Whoa…that's kind of a neat angle. I hadn't even thought of that! First he's a homosexual, and then it turns out he's a murderer! The hit-count on my page would rocket WAY up!"

Again, the noise level in the courtroom increased, and again, the judge banged his gavel.

_That's definitely not the answer I was hoping for, _thought Phoenix unhappily.

"Oh, but, actually, that wouldn't make a lot of sense," mused Myriam thoughtfully. "A good scoop has to be plausible enough that no one can shoot you down. Sure, it'd be some great, juicy gossip, but it'd be kind of hard to back up. I mean, what would the Chief Prosecutor want to kill me for, anyway? He and I are sorta 'in cahoots,' if you know what I mean. He gave me what I wanted, and so I gave him what he wanted. I was playing things his way, so why would he want me dead?"

"'In cahoots?'" The judge frowned. "What exactly do you mean by that, Ms. Scuttlebutt?"

Before Myriam had a chance to respond, Edgeworth was suddenly out of his chair, pointing an accusing finger at the witness box.

"This testimony is irrelevant to the case at hand," he shouted. "Therefore, it does not belong in this courtroom, and this court does should not be subjected to it!"

"On the contrary," returned the judge. "I'm very interested in hearing it. Sit down, Mr. Edgeworth, or I'll be forced to hold you in contempt on court, on top of everything else."

The bailiff forced Edgeworth back into his seat, and the judge returned his attention to Myriam.

"Tell us more," he instructed her, "about this deal you struck with Mr. Edgeworth."

Myriam nodded eagerly. "You want to know? Well, if you really want to know, then I'll tell you. Listen good! See, Mr. Edgeworth didn't want anyone to know that he and Mr. Phoenix Wright were sexually involved. After I published all those juicy stories about the two of them, he started to panic, and somehow or other he tracked me down. He came to my hotel room alone, and said that he wanted to make me a deal. He'd give me a super-scandalous interview about all the hot encounters he'd had with other men at that 'Back Door Club,' and in return, he wanted me to take back all the stuff I'd said about him and Mr. Wright. Isn't that romantic? He was willing to give up all his dirty little secrets, just to clear Mr. Wright's name! If that's not a man in love, then I don't know what is."

"N…nnnghhh…" Edgeworth collapsed his chair and buried his face in both hands while everyone turned to stare at him.

The judge looked puzzled. "But, if what you've just told us is the truth, then…then what you wrote in your interview was, in fact, just a lie. Mr. Edgeworth and Mr. Wright are an item after all!"

Myriam shrugged, and her box wobbled unsteadily on her shoulders. "Of course they are. Can't you tell? Look at the way they stare at each other. It's gross, but it makes for great copy!"

"I…I knew it!" The judge was clearly delighted. "Ah, I feel so much better. You have no idea how disappointed I was when I thought that the whole thing had just been a misunderstanding. I'll sleep better tonight, knowing that my romantic dreams haven't been crushed after all!"

Phoenix couldn't bring himself to look at Edgeworth. Instead, he shot a quick look at Franziska, who was brandishing her whip at him and gritting her teeth.

"U-um, your honor," Phoenix managed, turning slightly pink with embarrassment, aware that all eyes in the courtroom were now probably on him. "May I respectfully remind you again that we are not here to discuss the nature of my personal relationships?"

"Quite, quite," agreed the judge amiably. "Of course. This is a murder trial, after all. I assume that you'd now like to cross-examine the witness?"

Phoenix frowned. "In a way," he replied. "Actually, Your Honor, there's one specific question that I'd like to put to the witness, if the prosecution has no objection."

The prosecution just snorted dismissively and crossed both arms over her chest.

"Ms. Scuttlebutt," began Phoenix. "Maybe you can settle a certain point for us. There's been a lot of confusion in this courtroom over the nature of a meeting that you held with the Gatewater Hotel manager on the morning before your death. Would you mind telling us what took place at that meeting?"

Almost as soon as he'd said the words, Phoenix saw a convulsive movement out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see that the hotel manager was no longer smiling. Instead, he was clutching his seat with both hands, looking extremely wary.

_Hah, _thought Phoenix, beginning to hope. _I think I finally have you. Maybe. Maybe I've got something, here. Probably best not to get carried away too soon._

"Huh?" Myriam sounded startled. "Oh, that? Um…yeah, that creepy manager asked me if I'd write a story about the Gatewater for him. He wanted me to come up with some kind of ghost story, but I refused."

"What?" Franziska blinked. "You…you what?"

"I refused," repeated Myriam. "I said I wouldn't write it. No one's interested in that kind of stuff, these days, and besides, I don't write just anything because someone asks me to. I only go after the big, juicy stories that will really turn heads and get people talking. The Gatewater's old news, and the service there is terrible."

Phoenix wasn't sure how he should feel about this little revelation. _Okay, _he said. _So, then…the manager wasn't lying about the nature of the meeting. He only lied about Myriam's response. If she refused to write the story, though, does that…actually help us, at all? I'm not sure I can see a way that this improves our case._

"He wasn't too happy about it," Myriam went on thoughtfully. "He begged me and begged me, but I didn't budge. Finally, he said that if I wouldn't write the story, he'd just have to make something sensational happen at the Gatewater all by himself, any way he could. I guess I can't blame him for being so determined. I mean, that hotel is awful. It needs all the help it can get."

Franziska gasped.

"Witness," she demanded. "Repeat what it was you just said."

"Huh?" Myriam hesitated a second. "Wait, you mean, the part about the manager being determined?"

_Nope, _Phoenix thought as realization dawned. _I think I know what Franziska's so excited about. Did I just hear what I think I heard? _

"Or," Myriam was saying, "do you mean the part about how the manager said he'd have to take matters into his own hands and do something sensational to get publicity for the hotel?"

Turning slowly around in her seat, Franziska gazed down at the now cowering and clearly terrified Gatewater hotel manager.

Yes," she said quietly, grinning like a cat about to pounce on a cornered mouse. "That was the part that I was most interested in. Thank you, witness."

The manager squeaked in alarm. Franziska brandished her whip.

Phoenix slumped over on the bench, resting his head in his hands. All of his injuries were aching at the same time, but despite all the pain, he couldn't think about anything but the incredible, almost mind-numbing relief.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

NO MORE TRIALS EVER.

*passes out*


	33. At Last, My Turnabout - Thirty Two

**Author's Note: **Thank you to those of you who told me you could see the chapter. It seems, however, that the problem with FFnet has not yet been resolved, and some people still can't view all the updates.

Thank you for your patience while this is resolved.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Two: Rude**

**January 4, 2029**

**2:00 PM**

**Outside Courtroom No. 2**

Just like that, it was soon all over. After some skillful maneuvering by Phoenix and a few terrifying whip-cracks from Franziska, the manager of the Gatewater hotel was more than ready to confess.

_Well, _thought Phoenix, as the bailiff took Mr. Gatewater nee Wade into custody. _I guess he got his wish after all. This is some pretty sensational stuff. It might even end up boosting publicity for the hotel._

Once the manager and his guards had left the courtroom, the judge turned his attention back to Edgeworth.

"Well," he said, sounding almost as relieved as Phoenix felt. "It may have taken a little longer than usual, but at least that's over and done with. Let's do our best, gentleman, never to find ourselves in this position again. I'm not sure my nerves can take much more of it."

"Y-yes, Your Honor," mumbled Phoenix. "That…that sounds fine."

"Aw," said Maya. "Well...you know, actually, I thought it was kind of fun."

Phoenix just stared at her. _You're...you're not serious. _

"Good." The judge nodded. "In that case, I'm delighted to finally say that this court finds the defendant, Miles Edgeworth, not guilty. The court is now adjourned."

The judge rose from the bench, and several people in the gallery cheered.

"Daddy! You did it!" Trucy came rushing down from her gallery seat to throw her arms around her father in an enthusiastic hug. Phoenix clung to her for a moment, dizzy from a combination of back pain and unspeakable relief.

"I knew it would turn out all right," she told him, smiling. "You're the best defense attorney there is. I never doubted that you were going to win!"

_That makes one of us, _thought Phoenix.

"Mr. Wright." Juniper stepped forward, followed closely by Athena and Apollo. "Thank you. You really did find out the truth, in the end. I'm..I'm really grateful."

Juniper sniffled, and Apollo put a protective arm around her.

"I just did my job," said Phoenix. "I hope that it helps you find a little bit of closure, at least."

Grinning, Athena opened her mouth to say something, but Phoenix was distracted at that moment by Edgeworth, who he noticed leaving the courtroom out of the corner of his eye.

"Uh, excuse me a minute," Phoenix told Athena apologetically. "I…I have to take care of something."

Maya just nodded. "Okay! I'll meet you out at the car, Nick."

Out in the lobby, onlookers were milling around, chattering excitedly and just generally being in the way. Phoenix couldn't find Edgeworth, but he did see Franziska von Karma, avoiding the crowd against the far wall and impatiently stroking her whip handle.

"Hey, Franziska," he called, heading over towards her. "Um…look, thank you for today. Actually, thanks for everything. I know this can't have been fun for you"

Franziska just raised an eyebrow. "I don't accept it," she snapped.

"What?" Phoenix blinked." You don't accept…what?"

"Your victory," she informed him. "I refuse to acknowledge the outcome of this trial as a defeat. It will not stain my record. It was not, in fact, a real trial. Instead, this was a foolish and farsical pretense of a trial, a forged bit of mockery in which I was not even permitted to argue my case. Your win is therefore meaningless, and my conscience is perfectly clear."

_Uh, sure, _thought Phoenix. _Whatever you need to tell yourself to make it through the day. _

"YOU," she added, turning and jabbing an accusing finger at Edgeworth, who had suddenly appeared in front of them. "This is YOUR doing, Miles Edgeworth. All of this nonsense is your fault! If it hadn't been for you, I would have been the victor. Someday, and someday soon I will make you pay for this humiliation, little brother."

With that she turned on her heel, cracked her whip over her shoulder, and stormed out of the courtroom as dramatically and emphatically as she'd come.

Phoenix sighed. "I guess that means she won't be joining us for dinner."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "Us?"

"Well…yeah." Phoenix shrugged. "We won the case. You're free. It's time for us to go and celebrate with some noodles!"

"I…am afraid that I have other plans," sighed Edgeworth. "My apologies."

Phoenix blinked. "You have 'other plans?' How is that even possible? You've been incarcerated for three days! When did you have time to make 'plans?'"

"Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I will simply not be joining you for dinner," replied Edgeworth quietly.

Phoenix frowned. "Why? I thought we were going to-!"

Suddenly, Edgeworth looked exasperated. "Wright, I have no idea what I am going to have to do to get this simple message through your incredibly thick skull. I am refusing you. I reject your advances, and your attempts to seduce me are entirely unwelcome. Do you understand? I'm not interested. Now please, please, leave me alone."

Phoenix winced. _After spending three days slaving away to save him from the death penalty, this is what I get? Sheesh…some people just don't know what gratitude is. _

"I'm going back to my office," mumbled Edgeworth. "I have some paperwork to attend to."

"We said," Phoenix reminded him, "that when this was all over, we were going to talk."

"No, 'we' didn't," retorted Edgeworth, wagging a finger at him. "I never agreed to such a thing. You were insistent. I humored you. That's all."

"The truth about the interview came out during the trial, today," insisted Phoenix. "Everyone knows about the deal you made with Scuttlebutt."

Edgeworth just shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

"Why?" Phoenix was now doing his best not to lose the tightly-held control he'd been exercising for three days. He wasn't sure that he was up for this after three sleepless nights and more nerve-wracking courtroom shocks than he cared to count. "Why doesn't it matter? Why are you doing this to me? Tell me that much, at least."

For a moment, Edgeworth was silent. "You know why," he said finally, examining the long fingers of one hand and not meeting Phoenix's eyes. "You…you could have died."

"Yeah, I could have," agreed Phoenix. "And you know what? It wasn't your fault. Do you know how many times I've almost died? Well, I don't, because I've actually lost count. It's like a skill. I'm pretty much always almost getting beaten up, trampled, or shot by someone. Maybe it's part of the job. Maybe it's just my terrible luck, but either way, it's not-!"

"That is nothing to be proud of," muttered Edgeworth.

"I'm not proud of it," shouted Phoenix. _Well, wait, okay, _he thought, _maybe I am just a little bit proud of it. _"Anyway," he went on, "bad things are going to happen. It's not your job to stop me from making dangerous choices, and you can't protect me from myself."

"You have spent almost ten years protecting me from my inner demons," murmured Edgeworth, "both in the courtroom and outside of it. The very least I can do is to return the favor."

Phoenix shook his head. "I don't want any favors," he insisted. "I want-!"

"I'm sorry," said Edgeworth firmly, cutting him off, "but I'm afraid the answer is no."

The high that Phoenix had been hesitantly riding since the unexpected "Not Guilty" verdict had now definitely worn away. He swallowed, running his hands through his hair and wondering desperately what else he needed to say to make his point.

"Now," murmured Edgeworth, beginning to turn away, "if you'll excuse me, I have-!"

"Were you not happy?" Phoenix grabbed Edgeworth by the arm and turned him back around to face him. "Answer me that. Was being with me just not as great as you thought it would be? Did it not live up to the daydreams? Was I disappointing in bed, or something? Is that it?"

Edgeworth's mouth fell open in surprise, and his face suddenly went bright crimson. "Wha…what? N-no, that's not…" He cleared his throat. "Nothing of the kind."

"Okay," said Phoenix. "Then, I want you to come back."

"I know what you want," mumbled Edgeworth. "You've…you've made that abundantly clear, Wright, and I only wish-!"

He stopped, scowled, and then turned quickly away.

"This is preposterous," he muttered. "We're wasting our time. Goodbye."

He started towards the courthouse doors, and Phoenix took a couple of steps after him.

"Hey, wait," he called. "Edgeworth-!"

Suddenly, Edgeworth spun around, and there was something desperate and slightly crazed in his eyes for a moment that startled Phoenix.

"Please," he said. "Please, Wright, I beg you to leave me in peace. If you truly have any interest in my welfare, then for god's sake stay away from me. This becomes too much to bear."

Again, he turned to leave.

"It won't work, you know," said Phoenix, shaking his head and making one last desperate attempt at reasoning with Edgeworth. "Your brilliant plan, I mean, to keep me safe from the 'unwelcoming world,' that you always say is out there. Someday, I'll sleep with some other guy, and then I'll be in just as much danger of having the crap kicked out of me. You're not special. You're not the only one. Society's not picky, and they'll be just as upset about me being 'sinful' and 'wrong' with another guy as they are about me being with you."

Right on the threshold of the courthouse, Edgeworth froze in his tracks and noticeable flinched.

_Bullseye, _thought Phoenix, pretty positive that his blow had hit home, and feeling just a little guilty about it.

"Edgeworth," he repeated.

Edgeworth, however, had apparently had enough. Without wasting another glance on Phoenix, he hurried down the steps and out into the parking lot.

Deflated and dejected, Phoenix slumped down against the wall and realized miserably that it might be time to give up. Embarrassingly enough, he could feel tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, although there was no way that he was going to let himself sit here on the courthouse floor and cry like a child. He cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and forced himself back under control.

_A lawyer only cries when it's all over, _he thought, remembering something that someone had told him once upon a time. _I'm not ready to admit that it's all over. That…no, that just can't be. I'm supposed to be the guy who never gives up, right? _

The courthouse lobby was empty, now. Apparently everyone else had already gone home.

_When, _he wondered, _is it time to give up? When I do have to give up, how am I supposed to start? I've never been great at letting things go._

Suddenly, there were footsteps in the hallway. Phoenix looked up to see Athena and Franziska leaving the courtroom together, talking to each other in hushed voices.

"Huh?" Phoenix frowned. "Wait, Franziska, didn't you leave, already?"

"Oh, Mr. Wright!" Athena grinned. "You're still here!"

"I wanted to talk to your fascinating understudy," murmured Franziska, flashing Athena a rare and honestly quite attractive smile. "It's unusual that I see women in the courtroom. As I understand it, Miss Cykes is a very talented lawyer in her own right. It's refreshing to see."

"Ms. von Karma was amazing in the trial," gushed Athena. "Oh, I mean, of course, you were too, boss, but…I mean, I've never seen a woman prosecuting a case in America. She was so fiery, so…fierce!" Athena sighed. "I wish I could be a little snappier when I'm arguing. I always get so flustered."

_You're plenty fiery, Athena, _though Phoenix. _Please, please don't aspire to be like Franziska. I'm not getting you a whip. _

"Miss Cykes," purred Franziska. "I'll be seeing you tomorrow for lunch, correct? I look forward to finishing our little talk."

Athena nodded eagerly. "Me too! I'll definitely be there!" She nodded at Phoenix, glanced down at her watch, and then winced. "Oh, crap, I really have to get going. Um, see you back at the office, boss! Great job, today!"

Phoenix and Franziska both watched as Athena bounced out of the courthouse and over to where Apollo and Trucy were presumably waiting with the car.

_Uh, _wondered Phoenix, _what exactly just happened?_

"Phoenix Wright," demanded Franziska.

Phoenix turned hurriedly around to face her. Ack! What?"

"I see," she told him, "that you have had an unfortunate run-in with my brother."

"Uh." Phoenix blinked. _When did you see that, exactly?_

"He is stubborn," she said, rolling her eyes, "but weak and over-emotional. Those unchecked emotions of his occasionally cause him to make very simple situations unnecessarily complex, as he seems to be doing in this case. He is…intolerable when he gets that way. I sympathize with your struggle."

Phoenix wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. "I…uh…th-thank you? Wait, doesn't it bother you that I'm, uh…I mean, that Edgeworth was interested in another man?"

Franziska frowned. "What? No. Why should it? True, your relationship does irritate me, only because it is so obvious from my standpoint that my brother could do infinitely better than a sniveling, cowardly defense attorney."

_R-right, _thought Phoenix, wincing. _Yep, I should have seen that coming._

"His interest in men, however, is of no particular interest to me." She shrugged. "I see no reason why his preferences and mine must be identical. He prefers men, and I prefer women. For many years, Miles Edgeworth and I have fought for the same honors and competed for the same prizes. Perhaps our difference in preferences has mercifully prevented us from seeking the same lovers."

_Huh? _Phoenix just stared for a moment. _Wait…did she just say what I think she said? _

"At any rate, Phoenix Wright," announced Franziska, heading again for the doors. "I wish you the best of luck. Perhaps you'll have more success in taming my brother's embarrassingly wild moods than my father and I ever had. Either way, I'm certain we'll meet again. Next time we meet in court, I intend to repay you for the foolish waste of my time that these last few days have been."

With that, she was gone, leaving Phoenix still on the floor, incredibly confused, and trying to make sense of everything that he'd just heard.

_Wild…mood swings? _He sighed. _I don't think that's how I'd describe Edgeworth. Oh, well. Thanks for the encouragement, Franziska…I think. _

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **

So, I think I may have fallen in love with Franziska. I suddenly want to write all the stories about her, all the time. She is SO MUCH FUN!

And wait, did a moment of potential Franziska/Athena actually happen, there?

Maybe it did. I don't know. I didn't realize it until after I'd already written it, and it was too late.


	34. At Last, My Turnabout - Thirty Three

**Author's Note: **So, I now have an Archive of Our Own account under the pseud "Ari_Moriarty."

I've become so fed up with FFnet lately that I decided to check out another archive. If you, too, are frustrated by the magical, disappearing updates, then don't despair!

Every time I update this story on FFnet, I will also update it on Archive of Our Own. That means if you can't see the update here for whatever reason, you can always go and read it there!

Problem SOLVED. Anyway. On to the chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Three: Who Needs Sleep**

**January 6, 2029**

**2:00 AM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

Phoenix woke up to the sound of something buzzing right next to his face, and then groggily discovered that he'd fallen asleep with his cell phone on his pillow. Apparently the phone was still set to vibrate, but it was making enough noise to annoy him out of a sound sleep.

_Maya, _he thought grumpily. _This had better be important. _

When he picked up the phone, however, he was surprised to find that it wasn't Maya calling.

_Edgeworth, _he read off the caller ID. _Edgeworth's…calling me? _

His heart suddenly doing uncomfortable little somersaults in his chest, Phoenix frantically slammed his thumb down on the "talk" button and held the phone up to his ear.

"Y-yeah," he said quickly. "Hello? Edgeworth?"

For a moment, there was silence on the other end of the line.

"You sound…out of sorts," muttered Edgeworth. "Is this a bad time?"

Phoenix rubbed blearily at his eyes with his free hand, and shot a quick look at the bedside clock.

"A bad time? No, no, not at all," he insisted. "It's a great time! Always nice to hear from you. It's just…" He paused, frowning. "Edgeworth, its two o'clock in the morning."

Again, Edgeworth hesitated. "Yes, well," he mumbled eventually, clearing his throat.

"Edgeworth?" Phoenix frowned.

"I'm outside your apartment," announced Edgeworth awkwardly. "In the hallway. Ah…it's a bit cold."

Phoenix blinked. "You're…you're what?"

"I said," repeated Edgeworth testily, "That I am-!"

"No no, uh, I heard you," muttered Phoenix, jumping out of bed and scrambling around while he searched for a pair of pants. "I'm coming right now. Hang on."

As Phoenix stood up and hurried for the front door, he was too excited to be more than just vaguely aware of how badly his back was hurting. The pain was unbelievably intense, and he wondered if he'd accidentally skipped a dose of his pills without realizing it.

_I can't let Edgeworth see me in pain, _he reminded himself. _That would definitely end badly. _

Gritting his teeth, he took a deep breath, forced the nausea back down, and pulled open the front door.

Edgeworth was, in fact, standing right outside the apartment, slightly under-dressed without his jacket or his cravat. His eyes were bloodshot, and his lower eyelids boasted even larger dark circles than usual. His lips were set in a thin, hard line, and the little twitch in the corner of his mouth told Phoenix that Edgeworth was just barely hanging on to his precious self control.

"Oh, wow," said Phoenix. "You look, uh…you don't look so good."

Edgeworth stepped into the apartment, shutting the door behind him.

"You're not dressed," he accused Phoenix, averting his eyes from Phoenix's bare chest.

"Neither are you," returned Phoenix. "You forgot your ruffly thing."

"My cravat," Edgeworth corrected him. "And may I point out that I, at least, am wearing a shirt."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix, "but this is my apartment, and it's the middle of the night. I was fast asleep when you called. What's your excuse?"

That question seemed to unsettle Edgeworth, and it was a moment before he apparently came up with a response.

"I…left the house in a hurry," he mumbled. "There was, ah, something I wished to discuss with you, urgently. I'm afraid it wouldn't wait."

Phoenix frowned. "Okay. Well, here I am. Let's discuss."

The following span of silence was so uncomfortable that Phoenix could almost feel it in his aching bones. Edgeworth coughed, reached up to fidget with his collar, examined his own long fingers and unexpectedly turned pale.

"Wright," he admitted, clearing his throat. "I can't sleep."

"Oh, yeah? Sorry to hear that." Phoenix shrugged. "Have you tried warm milk?"

Edgeworth scowled. "Please don't mock me. I haven't been able to sleep for almost forty-eight hours. Not since the trial ended, in fact. I…I've been thinking about what you said."

_You…have? Wait, you've been thinking about me? _The slightest, groggiest little hint of hope suddenly flared up in Phoenix's half-awake mind.

"As a matter of fact," continued Edgeworth uncertainly, "I cannot seem to get those words out of my mind. I'm tormented constantly by a certain unpleasant image that despite every effort I cannot seem to shake. It's…horrendous and very trying. This punishment you've assigned me seems unusually cruel."

"Punishment?" Phoenix wasn't quite sure what to think. "Wait, hold it. What exactly did I say that was so 'cruel?'"

Edgeworth turned away. "Surely you remember. As I left the courthouse that afternoon, you angrily called after me that you were sure my efforts on your behalf would be in vain. You announced rather loudly to the entire defendant's lobby that the world would look upon you with equal disfavor, even once you had begun relations with…with another man." He winced.

"Uh, yeah," agreed Phoenix, remembering the comment and feeling just a bit ashamed of himself for making that kind of a scene in the courthouse. "Yeah, I guess I did say something like that."

"And I'm certain you knew what effect such a statement would have on me," retorted Edgeworth. "I…cannot claim that I enjoy picturing you with another man, and yet I do not seem to be able to concentrate for long periods of time on anything else. I have completely lost control of my own conscious mind. All rational thought seems to have been put on hold and inescapably replaced by these terrible images of you, entwined in the embraces of a myriad other random and unreasonably attractive men. I'm haunted by these terrible erotic tableaus. You have to do something, Wright. I can't continue to live like this long-term. It doesn't bear thinking about."

Edgeworth's face was now almost purple with suppressed feeling, and he had to stop and take a deep breath before he was able to continue.

Phoenix, on the other hand, suddenly felt like singing. He wasn't sure he dared believe what he was hearing.

"You're jealous," he accused Edgeworth. "That's what you're saying, right? You're hung up on the idea of me being with someone else."

Edgeworth just sighed. "Tell me this," he demanded. "Are you seeing anyone? Are you currently involved in a relationship of any romantic or sexual nature with any other man? Do not lie to me. I think I need the truth."

Despite the increasing back pain, Phoenix couldn't quite stop himself from grinning. "Huh? Me? Nah." He shook his head. "Don't you remember? I've been a little busy lately with this one really important murder case. I've kind of had to put everything else on hold."

"I…I see." Slowly, Edgeworth nodded, and his face began to relax a bit. "W-well then. I suppose that's…something of a relief." He coughed. "Thank you. Perhaps now I'll be able to sleep, again. I do seem to be feeling a bit less frantic, at least."

He flushed, clearly deeply embarrassed, and then hastily turned back to the door.

" Ah…g-goodnight," he mumbled. "I, um, apologize for waking you."

Edgeworth started to leave, but Phoenix reached out and grabbed his arm before he could get very far.

"Miles," he said. "This is ridiculous."

"Let go," muttered Edgeworth, although he didn't make any real efforts to pull away. Phoenix held on firmly.

"I'm not letting go," Phoenix insisted, "and you don't have to leave. Stay with me. You want to. You're obviously not as over me as you want me to think. So? Just stay."

Edgeworth just shook his head. "I can't," he mumbled. "Wright, you don't understand."

"I think I do," returned Phoenix. "I get what you're trying to do for me. I know that you're just trying to keep me safe, but-!"

"You give me too much credit," sighed Edgeworth, finally shaking Phoenix's hand off but remaining rooted to where he stood. "I am not as selfless as you seem to believe. The more I find myself thinking about the past several weeks, the more I realize to my disgust that my motives are and have always been much more deeply self-serving than perhaps I realized."

_Sounds like you need to be a little more self-serving, if you ask me, _thought Phoenix. _I sure wouldn't mind. _

Making an exasperated little sound in his throat, Edgeworth paced over to the window, stopped, then went and slumped down onto the couch with his back to Phoenix.

"This is preposterous and embarrassing," muttered Edgeworth bitterly. "Forgive me, Wright. I don't know what's gotten into me."

"Uh, I may have a guess," suggested Phoenix.

Edgeworth, however, didn't seem to be listening.

"You didn't see yourself," he mumbled, maybe more to himself than actually to Phoenix at all. "I am referring of course to your first evening in the hospital. You were a sorry sight. As I had promised, I sat there and kept watch while you slept. You just lay there on that horrible hospital cot, completely limp, like a ragdoll, or like…like a corpse. I have seen many corpses, Wright. I know what one looks like. The resemblance was disturbing, and has imprinted itself indelibly on my mind. I can't think of it now without being reminded of a nightmare that I mercifully haven't had in years. Perhaps you remember something about it."

_Huh, _thought Phoenix. _This sounds familiar. Maya said something like this too, didn't she? Seems like I've got a lot of people in my life who've been through some terrible things. It's amazing how far we've all come, I guess._

"I am not a brave man," whispered Edgeworth. "I'm a coward, and I have always known it."

"Don't say that," insisted Phoenix, not sure what else there really was to say. "You're fine. You've been through a lot."

"I am still terrified of those memories," Edgeworth went on, ignoring Phoenix. "I live in constant fear of being again thrown into the kind of sickening mental darkness that I faced all those years ago, when I believed that I was responsible for the death of my father. I do not know if I could survive that kind of a shock again. I am not sure how I survived it, then, except…"

Suddenly, he turned and faced Phoenix with a very serious and unexpectedly steady look in his eyes.

"Except for you," he mumbled. "For the past ten years, you have been the only constant in my life. You have been irritating, certainly, infuriating, yes, nonsensical and exasperating in every respect, but…a constant, still. I realized that day in the hospital that I had grown to expect your presence, and that I found it comforting. The jarring possibility that you might one day be gone was…unbearable. No, unthinkable."

"M-Miles," mumbled Phoenix, pretty sure that he'd never heard Edgeworth say this many words in one sitting before. "Um, I…"

"I told you once," murmured Edgeworth, "that you reminded me of my father. He also, was a constant, as all fathers are to young boys of that age. Then, suddenly and inexplicably, one day he was gone. I…I am not prepared to become so unwisely complacent again, only to find, one day, that you, too are gone, perhaps because of your involvement with me. Guilt is a terrible , insidious thing. I can't live with any more of it. It would undo me."

Again, silence stretched out between them as Phoenix's head reeled and his back screamed in pain that he was now really having trouble ignoring. Hoping to ease the ache, he sat down on the couch beside Edgeworth.

Edgeworth gazed dejectedly out the window, clenching both fists in his lap. "I am making a fool of myself,"," he muttered. "I must cut a ludicrous figure, and I can only imagine that I must sound like a madman. Go on. You may laugh."

Phoenix just shook his head. "I'm not laughing," he said seriously. "I don't see anything funny."

Ignoring the way his muscles protested as he shifted position on the couch, Phoenix gently wrapped both arms around Edgeworth's back and kissed him. Edgeworth stiffened instantly at the contact, and at first refused to move. After a moment, or so, however he relaxed a bit, mumbled something indistinct and closed his eyes, clinging to Phoenix's shoulders as he leaned in to deepen the kiss.

"Despite my best efforts," muttered Edgeworth wearily, "I have always been unable to refute your arguments. It seems that you remain undefeated, even now. Damn you, Wright."

"Nick," suggested Phoenix.

Again, Edgeworth hesitated. "N-Nick," he managed.

Phoenix just grinned, and kissed him again. Edgeworth inched closer to Phoenix on the couch, sliding his hands from Phoenix's shoulders and down towards his hips. Phoenix shivered a little, starting to feel dizzy and light-headed, although he wasn't honestly sure if he was giddy from the kiss and the pleasant feeling of Edgeworth's hands caressing his chest, or if he was just beginning to succumb to the amazingly persistent pain in his lower back, which was now radiating all the way along his left side.

"Uh, M-Miles," he began, finally starting to worry that something might be really, really wrong.

Edgeworth, however, had already frozen with his hands on Phoenix's hips.

"Wright," he said.

"Nick," repeated Phoenix.

Edgeworth ignored him. "You aren't wearing your back brace," he pointed out. "You can't possibly be healed already. The doctor said that it might take months."

_Oh…? OH! _Suddenly, everything made incredibly painful sense. Phoenix been too eager to get to the door and see Edgeworth to remember that he'd left his brace on the bed beside him.

"Ack," he whispered.

Edgeworth frowned. "You aren't supposed to be out of bed without your brace. How do you feel?"

Phoenix felt like something in his lower back was grinding and grating against something else in his lower back, which may not have been exactly what was going on, but it was a nauseatingly unpleasant sensation.

"I…I think I'm gonna pass out," he gasped.

Alarmed, Edgeworth jumped to his feet. "Wh-what? No, don't…! Ah, wait, where is your brace?"

"Bedroom," mumbled Phoenix, wondering if he should try holding his breath.

Immediately, Edgeworth turned and headed for the bedroom door. "Do not move," he instructed Phoenix sternly. "Do not move at all."

After what felt like an incredibly long time but was probably only a couple of moments, Edgeworth returned from the bedroom, carrying Phoenix's brace.

"Hold still," he commanded, wrapping the brace around Phoenix's back and fastening it first on the left, and then on the right side.

Phoenix, now slightly delirious from a combination of pain and relief, watched Edgeworth's fingers maneuvering the metal brace hooks into place.

"You have nice hands," he sighed.

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you think you can get back to bed?"

Phoenix winced. "Nope. I…I don't think so."

"I see." Frowning, Edgeworth removed a pillow from the end of the couch. "In that case, lie down."

"Hmm?" Phoenix blinked, and then chuckled. "Oh, well, if you say so."

"Don't be ridiculous," scowled Edgeworth, reddening. "Wipe that grin off of your face, Wright, I am not suggesting anything untoward. This lapse on your part has probably set back your recovery by several days. I only hope no serious damage has been done."

Dutifully lying back on the couch, Phoenix swung his legs up over the armrest and shrugged.

"It's your fault," he informed Edgeworth.

Finishing with the fastenings, Edgeworth stepped back. "What?"

"I was really glad you called," sighed Phoenix. "I just wanted to see you. I got so excited that I guess I forgot to put the brace on. Next time, don't stay away so long."

Edgeworth coughed and flushed even more. "I…I'll go and get your pain pills," he muttered confusedly before hurrying back into the bedroom.

He came back this time with a large glass of water from Phoenix's bedside table, as well as the bottle of medicine.

"As per the instructions on this bottle," commanded Edgeworth. "You will take two."

Phoenix didn't argue. He took two pills, swallowed a large gulp of water, and then did his best to make himself as comfortable as possible on the couch as he waited for the painkiller to kick in.

"There," said Edgeworth, looking slightly relieved. "I…imagine things will start feeling better soon."

Phoenix just nodded.

"I…should be getting home," began Edgeworth quietly. "It's nearly three in the morning, now."

"Huh? But you just got here!" Phoenix reached out for Edgeworth's hand, but found that the other man was too far away. "Stay," he insisted. "Come on. Please."

Edgeworth sighed. "Wright, I have already explained to you why that isn't possible."

"Yeah," said Phoenix, frowning. "I know. You said you were afraid you'd wake up one day and I'd be gone."

"It's…it's not quite that simple," mumbled Edgeworth.

Phoenix shrugged. "I'm not going anywhere," he said. "I'm not leaving. I'll keep being here, so you've got nothing to worry about."

For a moment, Edgeworth was silent.

"How," he asked finally, "can you be so certain?"

"Easy." Phoenix pointed a finger at him. "You remember what I said the other day?"

"Y-yes," said Edgeworth. "Yes, I believe we were discussing it only-!"

"No," interrupted Phoenix, "not that. Not what I said after the trial. I'm asking if you remember what I told you in the detention center on that first day."

"Ah, th-that. Yes." Edgeworth cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I…can't imagine how I would forget," he said.

"I told you that I'd say it again, after we won the trial," Phoenix went on. "We won. I guess now I owe it to you. I'm in love with you, Miles Edgeworth. I think those may be the craziest, most ridiculous seven words that I've ever said, and coming from me that's really something, but I mean it. I love you, and I won't disappear. I'm not going anywhere, because where else would I want to be? Don't try to overthink it. It really is that easy."

Edgeworth caught his breath. "I…I understand that your intentions are sound," he managed. "You…you believe what you say, but we cannot always anticipate circumstances Things go wrong. Incidents occur. The world is-!"

"Cold and unwelcoming, I know," interjected Phoenix.

As usual, Edgeworth ignored the interruption. "Of course, we can't be certain what the future will bring. It's foolish to make promises that we can't be assured of keeping."

Phoenix thought about that for a moment.

"Well," he said eventually, "you've got a point, there. It's true that I get into trouble a lot. I seem to have pretty terrible luck. Someone else might try to beat me up, or shoot me, or maybe I might fall down a hole because someone sets a bridge on fire, again. I guess anything's possible."

Edgeworth winced.

"There's pretty much only one thing we can do about that," Phoenix continued. "You'll have to stay with me, Miles."

"What?" Edgeworth blinked.

"You know," insisted Phoenix, "to make sure that I don't get into any serious trouble. I'm reckless. I make bad decisions. I go all-in when I shouldn't and I take a lot of long-shot risks. If you really want me to stick around long-term, then you'll have to stay here where you can keep an eye on me. I'm pretty sure that's the only way you can be positive I won't get myself killed by being 'ridiculous.'"

The painkiller was now finally beginning to take effect, and as the horrible burning, grating feelings in Phoenix's back began to fade, he found himself struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Nick," began Edgeworth. "There are several gaping holes in your logic. For example-!"

"No," insisted Phoenix, yawning and shaking his head. "No, trust me. It's a great idea. Anyway, if you want me to prove it, then you'll have to play along."

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **It is really, really hard to keep these two in character while writing romantic scenes.

Good grief.

…that's all for now.


	35. At Last, My Turnabout - Thirty Four

**Author's Note: **Only two chapters left! Can I finish them both today? Can I?

…well, no, I probably can't.

I wrote this chapter in a tent by the side of the road, completely exhausted with creatures crawling all over my computer screen.

Please excuse everything about this chapter. Thank you for your patience.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Four: Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy**

**January 8, 2029**

**6:00 PM**

**The Offices of the Wright Anything Agency**

_Wow, _thought Phoenix, glancing out of the office window as he shut down his computer for the night. _It sure does get dark early in January. _

It was after six o'clock, and he'd sent the rest of the office home a little before five. Trucy was at the Wonder Bar going through a rehearsal with her new "lovely assistant," and Mr. Hat Wright. Apollo and Athena had said that they were going to dinner together to discuss the defense of a new client they'd only met that morning.

Phoenix was, therefore, alone in the office, and something about the early winter nighttime was making him sleepy. He couldn't seem to stop yawning.

_It's no use, _he thought. _I'm not getting any more work today. Time to pack it up and head home, I guess._

He stuffed his briefcase full of notes and papers, switched off the light, locked up his private office and headed for the hallway. After double-checking that everything was turned off, shut down or closed in the foyer, he stepped out of the front door and on to the street.

Unexpectedly, he found Edgeworth waiting for him on the curb just outside the Agency doors.

"Ah, Wright." Edgeworth nodded. "I'm glad I caught you."

Phoenix's heart sped up just a little, and he was suddenly and very uncomfortably conscious that he hadn't looked in a mirror since he'd woken up that morning.

"Oh, uh, hey, Miles!" He grinned and tried nonchalantly running a hand through his hair to smooth it down. "Were you waiting for me?"

Edgeworth nodded. "I wasn't sure when you'd be finished. It seems everyone else left at five o'clock."

"Yeah. Wait, you've been here since FIVE?" Phoenix blinked.

Edgeworth just shrugged. "I didn't want to disturb you if you were working. There's something I'd like to show you."

_Sheesh, _thought Phoenix. _Whatever it is, I'm guessing it's important. Edgeworth doesn't sacrifice his perfectly efficient schedule for anybody. Has he seriously been out here for a whole hour? Maybe he's just messing with me. No, wait, this is Edgeworth we're talking about. He''s probably serious. He's ALWAYS serious._

"Okay," said Phoenix, "So, then what did you want to show me?"

By way of an answer, Edgeworth stepped aside, revealing a brand new, sparkling rust-orange sportscar that was parked up against the curb. It was like something right out of a luxury car commercial, and it stood out like a sore thumb among all the other beaten-up and dirty cars that local business owners had parked nearby.

"Wow," said Phoenix, impressed.

Edgeworth almost smiled. "I'm glad you think so. It's a new purchase. I picked it up this morning."

"This morning?" Phoenix blinked. "Wait, really?"

"Yes," replied Edgeworth. "As I drove by the car dealership on my way to the office, I noticed that they had decided to extend their New Year's Day sale for an extra seven days. This car was the last available of it's model. I'm very pleased with it, so far, although I haven't had much opportunity to drive it, so I suppose there are still a great many tests to be done."

"But," insisted Phoenix, "what about your little blue car?"

Edgeworth scowled. "If you must know," he said, "I detested that car. It was a garish, offensively bright color. Due to the unpardonable lack of foot room, my legs began to develop a cramp whenever I drove. It wasn't an appropriately dignified vehicle for the Chief Prosecutor to be driving, in any case."

"But," Phoenix reminded him, "it was a great deal, remember?"

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth, with something that would, in any other man, have almost been enthusiasm, "but this new car was also the result of an extremely reasonable arrangement. I've done some research since. It seems that I've actually been spared a great deal of expense. Apparently the dealership in question is struggling financially, and was therefore required to make unusual concessions."

_Something tells me, _thought Phoenix, _that Edgeworth's idea of what's financially 'reasonable' isn't the same as mine. Must be nice, living off the Chief Prosecutor's salary. Us paycheck-to-paycheck type lawyers probably wouldn't understand. _

"Well," he repeated, shrugging, "it's a nice car. God for you."

Edgeworth looked uncharacteristically pleased.

Phoenix frowned in thought. "Wait, but…you said you bought that car this morning? As in, you just walked into the dealership, shopped around a little, and then came back out with a new car?"

Edgeworth nodded. "That's correct."

"Uh…" Phoenix wasn't quite sure what to say. "Well that's…different. I mean, it's not like you."

"What?" Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "Not like me? What are you saying?"

"Well," explained Phoenix, "isn't that sort of reckless? I mean, that's an expensive car. It's not really the kind of thing you just buy on a whim. Seems kind of out of character, for you. You're not what I'd usually call an impulsive person."

Edgeworth just frowned.

"You know," Phoenix went on, "you're…uh, extremely logical. You're so rational it's exhausting. You're the kind of guy who spends six months researching something before deciding that it's a waste of your time and money anyway. You don't usually get excited enough about anything to make a split-second, spontaneous decision."

Edgeworth winced. "You don't make sound like very entertaining or desirable company," he muttered. "Still, I can't object to what you say. It's true, this was…an unusual departure for me."

Suddenly, Edgeworth coughed and averted his eyes.

"For some reason," he mumbled, "lately, I have been feeling…strange. Somehow I feel light. Everything seems inexplicably easier, and yet I find that I still can't sleep. I…I can't quite explain it."

Phoenix felt that now familiar, uncontrollable smile starting to make its way across his face again. _Yeah, _he thought. _Yeah, I think I know just what you mean._

"I-in any case," said Edgeworth, clearing his throat. "I haven't held you here all this time just to admire my car. As a matter of fact, I was wondering if you might be free, this evening. As I believe I mentioned before, I haven't yet had the opportunity to test out the car, and I have only so many days before the return policy expires. If you're not too busy, I wonder if you'd be willing to take a drive with me?"

"Huh? Oh, well, sure," agreed Phoenix, shrugging. "I mean, I'm not busy. I feel kinda weird, though, asking you to just drive me around."

Edgeworth shook his head. "Not at all. I enjoy driving. It's relaxing. I…I'd very much enjoy having you with me."

He reddened very slightly, and Phoenix just grinned.

"Sure," he said. "Yeah, okay. Count me in. Where are we going?"

"I have no particular destination in mind," Edgeworth informed him. "You're welcome to make a suggestion."

Stepping around to the passenger side, Edgeworth unlocked the door and gallantly held it open for Phoenix.

"Please," he said, inclining his head.

Still trying not to grin like a madman, Phoenix slid into the passenger seat. Edgeworth shut the door and then strode around to climb in on the driver's side.

"Wright," asked Edgeworth, frowning as Phoenix struggled to pull the seatbelt on over his brace. "Are you comfortable?"

"Hmm?" Phoenix raised an eyebrow.

"Your back," specified Edgeworth. "Does it hurt? If the position is painful, you're welcome to adjust the seat. The lever is just here."

He reached down to show Phoenix where the seatback lever was, and Phoenix took that opportunity to lean forward and kiss Edgeworth on the ear.

Instantly, Edgeworth sat bolt upright, now significantly redder than he'd been before. "Wh-what was that for?"

Phoenix shrugged. "Do I have to have a reason? I'm being impulsive. I thought that's what we were doing, today."

If anything, that only seemed to fluster Edgeworth more. Without saying another word he turned the key, started the car, fastened his own seatbelt and then headed them down the street and away from the office.

Unfortunately it was rush hour, and traffic on the main roads was terrible. Almost as soon as they turned the corner and headed onto the highway, Phoenix and Edgeworth found themselves in bumper to bumper traffic.

Edgeworth just scowled. "Preposterous."

"Not really," returned Phoenix. "I mean, it is that time of the day. Everybody's trying to get home from work."

"If you like," suggested Edgeworth, "we might pull over and stop for dinner somewhere until this mess has cleared up a bit."

Again, Phoenix shook his head. "Everything will be crowded. It's the Friday night dinner rush. We're probably better off on the road."

Edgeworth muttered something under his breath, clearly annoyed. "At times," he sighed, "this city is stifling."

Phoenix tried to picture stiff, formal, over-dressed Miles Edgeworth living out in the country, picking his way through fields of tall grass, surrounded by cows, looking vaguely bemused. It was a ridiculous mental picture.

He laughed aloud and Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"N-nothing," Phoenix assured him. "Uh, really, it's nothing."

They crawled through traffic for another few minutes, and Phoenix frowned thoughtfully to himself.

_Too much traffic in the city, huh _he mused, Actually, _that gives me an idea. _

Looking up, he found that they were just driving past the exit for Gourd Lake.

"Hey, Miles," suggested Phoenix. "Pull off, here."

Edgeworth blinked. "What? Why here?"

"Just trust me," insisted Phoenix. "I had a thought."

Edgeworth shrugged, and they took the Gourd Lake turn.

For a couple of miles after leaving the main road, Phoenix and Edgeworth found that the traffic was significantly lighter. As they wound their way down the twisting roads that led towards the lake entrance parking lot, Edgeworth started to look just a little bit more relaxed.

"Okay," directed Phoenix. "Turn left just before you get to the gate. We'll go around to the back parking lot. There aren't as many trees, there."

"Trees," repeated Edgeworth, clearly confused. "Trees, Wright?"

Phoenix just nodded. Yeah, trees. Okay, here's the turn."

The parking lot just behind Gourd Lake was almost deserted, so Phoenix and Edgeworth pulled into a spot in the back.

"See? Not too crowded, here." Phoenix nodded happily.

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "True, but I'm not certain what you wanted to come here, for. If remember correctly, you once said that you were never interested in returning to 'The Wet Noodle,' ever again."

"Right," agreed Phoenix emphatically. "I'm not. Food just shouldn't be that expensive."

"I'd be happy to pay," began Edgeworth.

Phoenix shook his head. "Nope. No, you paid last time."

"That doesn't matter,' Insisted Edgeworth. "I enjoy treating you. Besides, ah…a gentleman always pays on a date." He almost managed to say that line with a straight face, but flushed at the last minute and glanced out the window.

"Oh," retorted Phoenix. "So then, I guess I never get to be a gentleman?"

A frustrated little crease appeared in Edgeworth's forehead. "Wh-what? No, that's not what I meant at all. Certainly you-!"

"We're not getting noodles," Phoenix interrupted him. "That's not what we're here for. We came to test out your fancy new car, right?"

Edgeworth nodded.

"Okay," said Phoenix. "I'd bet that this thing has a sunroof. Does it?"

By way of an answer, Edgeworth pushed a button, and the sunroof rolled back, revealing a glimpse of the sky.

"You said something about how traffic in the city was too stressful," Phoenix explained. "I'm a city guy myself, so I wouldn't know much about it, but they say that looking at the stars is supposed to be relaxing. If there's anyone I know who needs to relax a little bit, Miles, then it's you, and this is probably the only place for miles where you can actually see the night sky. Maya and I have been out here, before. She says being out in nature helps her get in touch with her spirit training, or something."

The stars were out that night, and the sky was relatively clear. For a moment, Phoenix and Edgeworth sat side by side in silence, watching the twinkling lights of an airplane looking almost like slow-motion shooting stars making their way across the sky.

"Y-yes," murmured Edgeworth. "It's not a sight that I'm terribly familiar with, but I suppose that it does have a certain charm."

Phoenix tried to remember the few things he knew about the stars. One of the really bright ones was supposed to be a planet, maybe, or maybe that one was actually the north star that the sailors had navigated by. Someone had told him, once. It might have been Apollo, or maybe Solomon Starbuck. Either way, he couldn't remember.

_I wonder, _he thought. _What happens if you wish on a planet?_

"So," he said eventually. "You said this was a date, right?"

"In a manner of speaking," mumbled Edgeworth. "Admittedly it was a bit spur-of-the moment, but I suppose it could be looked on as a date. I was hoping you'd at least let me buy you dinner."

Phoenix smiled to himself. "Does that mean you're taking me back?"

For a moment, Edgeworth said nothing.

"Y-yes," he managed finally. "That is, of course, if you'll have me."

Edgeworth had tensed up, almost as though he was expecting a blow. Again, he didn't seem to quite be able to look at Phoenix.

"I fear that in my cowardice," Edgeworth muttered, "I have hurt you deeply. I…did so knowingly, fully aware of the pain I was likely to cause. Whatever my reasons may have been, that was inexcusable. I can, of course, understand if you are unable to forgive me."

"I forgive you," Phoenix assured him, leaning over in the seat to kiss him.

Unexpectedly, Edgeworth shied away from him. "W-wait, Wright," he said. "I'm not finished." Clearing his throat, he straightened his shoulders, took a deep breath, and turned to look seriously into Phoenix's eyes.

"Wright," he began again, "I would like to ask you formally if you'd be willing to become my lover."

_Wha...what? _Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "We've been lovers several times already," he remarked.

Edgeworth blinked, then reddened again. "That's…that's not exactly what I mean. Yes, we've been lovers, but I wish to make it perhaps more official. I'm asking if you'd accept the role of, ah, my…"

Phoenix waited, but Edgeworth didn't seem to be able to find the right word.

"Boyfriend," supplied Phoenix. "You're asking me to be your boyfriend, right?"

"Not quite," muttered Edgeworth, making a face. "I dislike the term 'boyfriend.' "It seems juvenile. I would prefer 'partner,' if you don't mind."

_Nope, _thought Phoenix happily. _I don't mind. _

"You didn't really have to ask," said Phoenix out loud.

Edgeworth frowned. "I certainly did. It's true that we have, perhaps, been intimate more than once already," he said quietly, "but that's no excuse for being sloppy, or for my making assumptions about our relationship. I intend to treat you with all the respect you deserve from now on, Wright."

Phoenix felt suddenly warmer inside.

"Well?" Edgeworth was still watching him expectantly

"Well," repeated Phoenix. "Well, what?"

Edgeworth looked slightly annoyed. "You have not yet answered the question. Will you become my partner?"

"Oh! Yeah, definitely," replied Phoenix, inexplicably feeling a little shy. Something about the awkward formality of the situation was starting to get to him.

_He's stiff and kind of old fashioned, _Phoenix thought, _but there's…something sweet about it. Maybe I don't mind the whole 'romantic gentleman' thing. Actually, I think I sort of like it. I could get used to it, sure. _

"Yes," repeated Phoenix. "I'll be your partner."

Edgeworth looked startled. "You…you mean that? Are you certain? You're willing to accept my proposal, even though I am stiff, overly predictable, not very interesting and apparently incapable of spontaneity?"

Phoenix shrugged. "Miles, my life is full of spontaneous, unexpected, illogical things. I'm never sure what's going to happen tomorrow. I'm not looking for 'unpredictable.' What I really need is someone reliable, and a little bit of rationale wouldn't kill me, either. What I really need, honestly, is you."

Now, Phoenix was sure that Edgeworth really was smiling.

"Th-thank you," Edgeworth said. "I'm…I'm very glad to hear that."

An awkwardly happy silence stretched out between them.

"So," said Phoenix. "Can I kiss you, now?"

"I see no reason why not," mumbled Edgeworth.

Phoenix undid his seatbelt, leaned over and kissed Edgeworth softly on the mouth. Edgeworth eagerly wound his arms around Phoenix and closed his eyes, parting his lips to give in wholeheartedly to the moment.

Phoenix, however, gently disengaged and planted a kiss on Edgeworth's cheek, and then at each corner of Edgeworth's mouth. He kept dodging Edgeworth's efforts to capture his mouth and deepen the kiss, until finally Edgeworth sighed and opened his eyes again.

"Infuriating," he muttered.

Grasping Phoenix's face gently but firmly in both hands, he drew him close and kissed him intensely. Phoenix laughed against Edgeworth's lips.

"You may have to get used to 'infuriating," he said. "I'm pretty sure I won't change."

Edgeworth just nodded.

"I shall do my best, Wright," he told Phoenix seriously.

"Nick," insisted Phoenix.

Edgeworth shook his head. "No. It won't work. I've made efforts, but I really can't stand nicknames."

"Okay," suggested Phoenix. "Then try 'Phoenix.' We can work our way down to nicknames from there, maybe."

For a moment, Edgeworth hesitated.

"Very well," he mumbled eventually. "In that case..."

Releasing Phoenix, he sat up, nodded slowly to himself, and then said, very quietly, "This may be a bit late, and perhaps it will come as no significant surprise, but despite the urgings of common sense, I've fallen deeply in love with you, Phoenix."

Phoenix took a delectable little moment to let that sink in. It felt amazing.

"Oh yeah," he mumbled "Uh, great. I mean, I said it a week ago, so I was sort of starting to wonder if you were just going to leave me hanging."

Edgeworth wagged a finger at him. "I did try to tell you once before. We were unfortunately interrupted. However, as the facts stand, I did say it first."

"Huh? Wait, objection." Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "You 'tried' to say it? When was that? I don't remember that. You've got no evidence. I definitely said it first. Anyway, even if you 'tried' to say it, that doesn't count for anything. Intentions are meaningless. You have no case."

Edgeworth scowled.

"Overruled," he muttered, kissing Phoenix again.

This time, Phoenix didn't fight it.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **Bleh. This chapter. I can't even.

As always, am curious to hear your thoughts and opinions.

Only one final chapter left! I will do my best to make it not suck.


	36. At Last, My Turnabout - Epilogue

**Author's Note: **Wow, we made it. There were times when I wondered if we would.

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**Epilogue: I Can't Help Falling in Love With You**

**March 21, 2029**

**11:00 AM**

**The Gatewater Hotel Chapel**

"Hey, Maya," asked Phoenix, adjusting his suit collar. "Are you okay? I know this isn't your favorite place."

Maya just nodded. "Oh, sure, Nick, I'm fine. I mean, we found out that the Gatewater wasn't haunted after all, right? It was probably just that crazy, creepy manager causing all of that weird stuff to happen. There's nothing scary about this hotel anymore!"

Phoenix shrugged. _I guess that makes sense._

They were seated in the front row of pews in the small but elaborate hotel chapel, watching as Hugh O'Connor and Juniper Jones prepared to say their wedding vows.

Behind Phoenix, Athena sniffled. "She looks so beautiful! My pretty little Junie…"

Apollo, for once, didn't say anything. Phoenix glanced over his shoulder and found that Apollo was staring straight ahead, gritting his teeth while his clenched knuckles turned white.

_Oh boy, _thought Phoenix. _Maybe he shouldn't have come. I'm sure Juniper would have understood. Then again…maybe she really still doesn't know. _

"We are gathered here today," began the little priest at the front of the chapel, "to witness the holy and sacred union between this man, Hugh O'Connor, and his chosen bride, Miss Juniper Woods."

"Hey," muttered Athena." That's…that doesn't sound right. I mean, it's not like Junie didn't get to choose, too. How come she's 'his chosen bride,' but he's not 'her chosen groom?' Ugh. Men!"

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix, _but, did she really choose? I mean, would Hugh even have been her first choice? Maybe I'm just imagining things, but…_

Beside Phoenix, a latecomer slunk noiselessly into the vacant aisle seat.

"I'm afraid that many local institutions have yet to embrace a more feminist discourse," murmured the latecomer. "It enrages my sister. You should sound her on the subject. I imagine she'd enjoy the opportunity to deliver you her favorite diatribe on the evils of American masculinity."

Phoenix turned to see Edgeworth, perfectly put-together, as always, in the process of tucking his briefcase underneath the bench.

"My apologies," muttered Edgeworth. "I was unexpectedly detained."

Phoenix nodded sympathetically. "Long morning at the office, huh?"

Edgeworth sighed. "Indeed. Exactly that."

"Do you," the priest was saying, "Hugh O'Connor, take Miss Juniper Woods as your bride, to have and to hold, to honor and to cherish, forever and ever until death do you part?"

Hugh smiled a slightly more subdued version of his perfect, dazzling smile. "I do."

"I wonder," whispered Athena huffily, "if he's even gonna let Junie have a say in the matter."

"Shut up," suggested Apollo. Athena frowned at him.

"And do you," continued the priest, "Juniper Woods take Mr. Hugh O'Connor as your husband, to have and to hold, to honor and to cherish, forever and ever until death do you part?"

For just a second, Juniper hesitated. Phoenix was almost positive that she shot a quick look at Apollo before turning back to Hugh, smiling a brave little smile, and saying, "Y-yes, of course. I do."

Hugh beamed. The priest nodded.

"If any of you assembled here today know of any reason why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony," he announced, gazing out at the wedding guests, "then I urge you to speak now."

He waited, but the church was silent, except for the slightly awkward shifting of Athena's feet and the sudden sneeze of a man in the back row.

"No objections?" The priest nodded. "Very good. In that case, I-!"

Phoenix heard Apollo before he saw him. There was a scraping of benches, and then Phoenix noticed out of the corner of his eye that Apollo was getting to his feet.

"Oh," said Phoenix, surprised. "Oh, no. He's not seriously-!"

"P-preposterous," mumbled Edgeworth.

"Wait," shouted Apollo, sweat pouring down his face as he pointed an accusing finger at Hugh O'Connor, who was now staring in shock. "O-objection!"

"Eek!" Both of Athena's hands flew to her lips. "He…he really did it!"

"Yep. He sure did." Phoenix sighed. "How did I not see this coming?"

All around them, the chapel erupted into chaos as Apollo strode up Juniper and took both of her hands in his. Everyone seemed to be shouting at one another.

"This…what is the meaning of this?"Edgeworth turned an accusing look on Phoenix.

Phoenix shrugged. "Don't look at me. I had nothing to do with it."

"Mr. Wright!" Athena turned to him expectantly. "Do something!"

"What? Me? What do you want me to do?" Phoenix shook his head. "There's nothing I can do! Apollo has to work this one out for himself."

Exasperated, Athena jumped up and strode over to where Hugh, Apollo, and Juniper were standing.

"Look, Hugh, "Apollo was saying. "I…I'm not going to apologize for this, but you and I both know that it wouldn't work out. I mean…you're not an idiot, and you're not actually an asshole. You have to see that Juniper would be happier with me."

"I disagree," snarled Hugh. "Who do you think you are? You've…you're ruined everything. This was our perfect moment. How dare you?"

The next few seconds happened very, very quickly. Hugh hauled back and prepared to swing a fist at Apollo. Apollo took a step back, and Athena intervened, shoving herself in between Hugh, Apollo, and Juniper.

"Hugh," she began, "stop it!"

Hugh's fist was now heading straight for Athena's face.

"Ack!" Phoenix started forward, stumbled over Edgeworth's briefcase, righted himself, and just managed to shove Athena out of the way as Hugh's blow struck home. Phoenix ended up taking the punch straight to the side of his jaw, and then stumbled back into Maya's waiting arms.

"Nick," she gasped.

"I'm…I'm fine," he muttered, clutching dazedly at his jaw. "Ow…sheesh, what is it with this year? My jaw better not be broken. I can't afford any more medical bills."

Phoenix stood up, and Maya released him, turning her attention back to the fray.

Athena's face had now gone livid red with rage.

"Uh oh," said Apollo, backing up. "Junie, get out of the way."

"No one," snarled Athena, almost spitting with righteous fury, "hits Mr. Wright like that!"

She kicked out hard at Hugh's shins, catching him totally off guard He toppled over instantly, hitting the floor with a resounding thud.

Juniper winced.

Phoenix sighed.

The priest peeked out from his hiding place behind the altar, white-faced and obviously out of his depth.

**Some short time later, on the hotel front steps…**

Phoenix and Edgeworth sat on the top stop just outside the hotel entrance, while Phoenix held a large bag of ice against his smarting jaw.

"Everyone else appears to have left," remarked Edgeworth.

Phoenix shrugged. "Why not? There obviously isn't going to be a wedding, today."

Edgeworth sighed. "Apparently, this was all a complete waste of my time. I should have just stayed at the office and completed my work. As it is, I'm behind."

"What?" Phoenix blinked. "That's really all you have to say after what happened?"

"What would you like me to say?" Edgeworth shrugged dismissively. "Your understudies put on an embarrassing emotional display in the middle of what should have been a pleasant and peaceful public ceremony. I was appalled. I imagine that most people were appalled. I've said it before, although apparently it bears repeating that you seem ludicrously unable to appropriately discipline your subordinates."

Phoenix threw up his hands. "I don't get to tell them what to do outside of the office. That's not my job. They're my understudies. I guide their legal work. I don't get to decide who they do or don't fall in love with. This has nothing to do with me!"

"In that case," retorted Edgeworth, "why exactly are you so upset?"

"I'm upset," Phoenix informed him, "because you're being so…uh, so...!"

He trailed off, not entirely sure what word he was looking for.

"Rational," suggested Edgeworth. "Logical. Unemotional."

"Yes," agreed Phoenix emphatically. "All of those things."

Edgeworth sighed. "Ah," he muttered. "I was under the impression that you found those qualities attractive."

"What? Yes! I do. Of course I do. I mean…GAH." He stopped, and took a deep breath. "N-nevermind," he mumbled. "Forget it."

For a moment, they sat in silence.

Eventually, Edgeworth cleared his throat. "How is your jaw?"

"It hurts," muttered Phoenix. "I think I'll live, though."

Edgeworth nodded. "And your back," he asked. "Does that hurt as well?"

Phoenix winced. "A little," he admitted. "I mean…it's nice having the brace off, but now I have to remember not to let myself slouch, or it starts hurting again. That church bench wasn't so comfortable."

"Here," murmured Edgeworth. Re-positioning himself behind Phoenix, he took the bag of ice from him. "You can lean against me. It might feel better."

Gratefully, Phoenix relaxed back against Edgeworth's chest. It did give his aching back a little more support.

Edgeworth reached around Phoenix and held the ice against his jaw, and Phoenix closed his eyes, enjoying the warm feeling of Edgeworth's arms and the fresh, cool feeling of the ice compress.

"Thanks," he sighed. "That's…that's actually a lot better."

"Good," said Edgeworth.

Out in the street, a car drove by, obviously several miles over the speed limit. Someone shouted, and another car honked loudly.

"You know," muttered Phoenix, "Apollo didn't have a choice. I mean, what else was he supposed to do?"

"As I understand it," returned Edgeworth, "the job of a wedding guest is to sit quietly and applaud at appropriate intervals."

Phoenix ignored that. "He was crazy about her," he went on. "Juniper, I mean. She was about to marry another guy, and Apollo was going to lose her forever. He couldn't just sit there and let Hugh take her away. He was out of options. He had to object. Anything else would have been giving up, and I guess there are some people you just can't give up on."

Edgeworth coughed. "You are full of sentimental nonsense today," he remarked.

Phoenix shook his head. "Objection," he said. "I am full of sentimental nonsense most days. You might as well stop fighting it and get used to it."

"Hmph," muttered Edgeworth. "So it seems."

From somewhere inside the hotel, faint music began to play. As Phoenix listened, it got louder and louder until he could just barely make out the words of an old-fashioned love song.

"Wise men say," crooned the singer just barely loud enough to be heard over the car traffic, "only fools rush in, but I can't help falling in love with you…"

Edgeworth frowned. "What is that?"

Phoenix shrugged. "Not sure. Maybe it's the DJ. The reception was supposed to be in the upstairs suite. I wonder if anybody's told him that the wedding's off?"

"I'm certain he's made that connection by now," said Edgeworth. "Perhaps he's cleaning his equipment, or testing it."

"Yeah." Phoenix nodded. "You know, Apollo would have hated that song. He hates sappy love songs."

"Miss Woods, on the other hand, apparently liked it," retorted Edgeworth, "if she requested that the DJ play it at the wedding reception. Perhaps they are not so compatible after all."

"What?" Turning around, Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, it's one song. Who cares if they disagree about one song? Besides, opposites attract."

Edgeworth snorted. "Your romantic platitudes are starting to irritate me."

"Yeah, I bet they are." Phoenix detached himself from Edgeworth, pushed himself to his feet, and turned around.

"Dance with me," he said, offering Edgeworth a hand.

Edgeworth's face didn't even flicker. "What? What are you talking about?"

"The wedding song's playing," Phoenix insisted. "This is the part where we dance."

"Perhaps you didn't notice," Edgeworth pointed out, "but the wedding party has been cancelled."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix, "but I was kind of looking forward to the dance. I mean, I've never seen you dance, except for that one time with Trucy, and that doesn't really count. She was pulling you, and you were protesting. That's not exactly dancing. It was pretty funny, though."

Edgeworth shook his head. "I do not dance."

"I bet you can't dance," taunted Phoenix.

Edgeworth didn't bat an eye." You're probably right," he said.

Phoenix sighed. "You're not supposed to agree with me," he informed Edgeworth. "That was a challenge."

Edgeworth shrugged. "I am not interesting in rising to your bait. This is ridiculous. We're not even in an appropriate space for that sort of activity. People would stare."

"So?" Phoenix shook his head "Who cares? Let them stare. I keep telling you, I've got nothing to be ashamed of, and neither do you."

Edgeworth shut his eyes. "Enough of this," he mumbled. "Am I embarrassed about being seen with you? No, certainly not. Waltzing around in public for no reason, however, is sufficiently mortifying in its own right."

"Maybe no one will see us," protested Phoenix. "Come on. I got punched in the jaw. Humor an invalid and dance with me."

Edgeworth honestly looked as though he was going to hold his ground. After a moment, however, he sighed heavily, got slowly to his feet, glanced over his shoulder to make sure that no one was actively watching them, and then reluctantly held out his arms for Phoenix.

Phoenix grinned.

"Wipe that triumphant look off of your face, Wright," mumbled Edgeworth.

"Huh?" Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

Edgeworth swallowed. "Phoenix," he corrected himself carefully.

"Oh, right. I heard you that time. No triumphant looks. Got it." Phoenix stepped into Edgeworth's embrace, and cheekily kissed him on the mouth.

Edgeworth let out a short, exasperated little breath. "Unbelievably infuriating," he mumbled.

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "I know."

Then Edgeworth folded Phoenix into his arms, and the two of them danced awkwardly across the concrete hotel steps, to the faint sounds of someone else's abandoned wedding song.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **And that, my friends, is the end of that.

Oh, wait, were you expecting Phoenix and Edgeworth to get married?

What? You were? Seriously? That's…I mean, wow, they really haven't been dating that long. I don't think it's time for them to start thinking about marriage yet.

If you're interested in seeing the future of their relationship, however (and yes, there might be a marriage proposal involved) then don't despair! Here's what's going to happen next.

I have some other little one-shots, companion-pieces and side-stories that I'd like to write, involving Phoenix, Edgeworth, and several other characters/relationships as well. Since they'll all fall into the same world/arc/timeline as this story, I'll post them all here for your reading pleasure.

When I've had my fill of one-shots and side-stories, though, I'll begin working on a sequel to this story!

I've already fully plotted out the sequel, so I'll be able to start writing ASAP!

Here's a little bit of preview information about the sequel:

**Title: Heel, Face, Turnabout**

**Summary: ** Sequel to "At Last, My Turnabout." When Phoenix makes a mistake and innocently defends a guilty man, the resulting tragedy strikes very close to home. Devastated by the error and the loss, Phoenix can't find his own way out of the darkness, and Edgeworth is forced to honor his promise to protect Phoenix from his own impulsive choices as they both face new questions about right and wrong, heroes and monsters. Phoenix/Edgeworth. WARNING: At times, this story does get very dark.

And because I love keeping my things organized, I'll be publishing that sequel story right here, in this collection/volume, so that you don't even have to go and look for it. All you have to do is come right back here and keep checking for updates! Easy, right?

I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did. I'm not sure I've ever enjoyed writing anything quite so much!

Can't wait to get working on a new one!

Until then, thanks for everything!

Sincerely,

Ari Moriarty

PS: I never really did explore or explain much of the Apollo/Juniper side- arc in this story. I don't think I ever will, but if YOU would like to write about the Apollo/Juniper romance that was behind the scenes throughout this fic, please do! I'd love to read it! Let me know if you're interested so that I can follow you!


	37. Up, Up to the Turnabout

**Author's Note: **Hah! Okay, well, apparently it's time that I address this issue.

I received not one but TWO messages from two separate reviewers today, remarking on the fact that Miles Edgeworth cannot ride in an elevator. In my story collection **To Turnabout Eternally, **I have written that he takes two different elevator trips without showing any signs of discomfort or concern.

Now, I did this on purpose. I've been playing with the idea that over the years, Edgeworth has grown emotionally and that by the time we reach the year 2027 he has finally overcome his fear of elevators. I like to believe that he's at least learned to cope with his fear sufficiently to be able to ride up one floor to the Chief Prosecutor's Office.

However, since so many people have taken objection to this character choice, I propose a compromise! I will write this story, and subsequently we will consider the debatable "plot hole" sealed, shall we? Seems fair. I'm game if you are.

With that in mind, you can consider this little story a companion piece to **To At Last, My Turnabout. **It takes place several months before the start of that story, and so I suppose it's a prequel.

Thanks for reading, as always!

* * *

**SECOND STORY:**

**Up, Up to the Turnabout**

**by Ari Moriarty**

* * *

**January 1, 2028**

**8:00 PM**

**Courthouse Lobby**

"I am not in the habit," muttered Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, "of making New Year's resolutions. The very concept of the custom is ridiculous. The arrival of January first has no remarkable effect whatsoever on the disappointing truth of human nature, which is that we are never likely to maintain a resolution that we decide on purely to fulfill a holiday tradition, likely while both inebriated and sleep-deprived. It's complete nonsense."

"Aw, come on, Mr. Edgeworth." Athena nudged him in the ribs. "Don't be so stuffy. New Years is supposed to be fun! Besides, don't you think you'll feel better once you've finally done it? It'll give you something to be proud of! Doesn't that sound nice?"

"I am the District Chief Prosecutor," insisted Edgeworth. "I have spent the last many years amassing numerous credentials that I can be proud of. This does not need to be one of them."

Trucy grinned. "Don't worry, Mr. Edgeworth, you won't have to stay in there for long. It'll be over before you know it! Just think how much more time you'll save by being able to do this! Going back and forth from the courthouse to your office will get that much more efficient, just like that!" She snapped her fingers for emphasis.

Edgeworth shook his head and crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest. "There is nothing wrong with the stairs. Nothing at all. A man of my age needs some exercise, after all. The stairs are probably better for me."

"You're not that old," Trucy reminded him. "You're the same age as Daddy, aren't you?"

"Your father," retorted Edgeworth, "could use a great deal more exercise than he regularly gets, no doubt." Frowning, he glanced over his shoulder, and then asked, "where exactly is Wright?"

Athena and Trucy exchanged a look, and Trucy shrugged.

"He's probably still at the party," she said. "I think he had a little too much to drink. He was laughing a lot and talking too much when we left."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "And how did you determine from this that he was inebriated? Sounds to me like extremely typical behavior for Wright."

Athena giggled. "Come on, let's go," she suggested. "Once we're done here, we can go back to the party and find Mr. Wright. I'm sure he'll be really proud of you, Mr. Edgeworth. Everybody will!"

Without waiting for a response, Athena stepped forward and pushed the "up" button the elevator. The button lit up, and after a moment Edgeworth could hear the elevator creakily descending through the shaft.

Edgeworth could feel a cold, hard lump starting in his chest, and he took several slow steps away from the elevator.

"I…I never agreed to this," he muttered.

Athena took him by the arm. "Then consider this an intervention. Ready? Okay, here we go!"

The elevator arrived with a terrible, foreboding little "ding" noise. Edgeworth turned to leave, but found that Trucy was now on his other side. She flashed him a perfectly innocent smile and then took him by the hand before he'd come up with a polite way to refuse her. Together, she and Athena marched him into the elevator.

"Wait, this is not…!" Edgeworth spun around just in seem to see the elevator doors closing horribly and inexorably behind him. He swallowed hard, aware that he was trapped, and in his anxiety he backed himself up against the elevator wall, scrabbling with both hands for something to cling to as Trucy pushed the "2" button, and the elevator began to move.

To Edgeworth, it felt as though the elevator was crawling, lurching inch by minuscule inch, going very slightly higher every second. Taking deep, calming breaths, he shut his eyes to keep himself from having to look at the two closed elevator doors. Behind his closed eyes, however, familiar nightmare images began to play out in their inescapable sequence against the back of his skull, and he could suddenly feel the rumble of the earthquake as he, his father, and a much younger Yanni Yogi were all thrown to the floor. Bracing himself for the impact of the earthquake in his head, Edgeworth sank down to the floor and curled up in a ball, holding himself with both arms against the tremors that only he could feel. The sound of a gunshot echoed through his traumatized brain and then somehow Edgeworth's father was lying there on the ground, the way he'd lain there for the last time, head lolling and the bullet lodged in his chest while confused, oxygen-addled fourth-grade Edgeworth had listened to the sound of someone screaming.

"M-Mr. Edgeworth!" From somewhere far away, Trucy sounded frightened. "Mr. Edgeworth, are you okay? It's all right, it's just one floor! We're not that high up!"

"Trucy," noted Athena, "he's shaking! Open the doors!"

"Um, o-okay." Trucy must have pushed the button again, because Edgeworth heard the sound of the elevator doors sliding open. There was someone on the other side, he knew, because that terrible day in the courthouse there had been someone on the other side, waiting for them, and waiting to deliver that vengeful parting shot.

"Trucy," said a voice that Edgeworth recognized. "Athena? Wait…Edgeworth?! Hey, Edgeworth! What exactly is going on, here?"

It wasn't the voice that Edgeworth had expected to hear. It wasn't the voice of Manfred von Karma.

"Wright," mumbled Edgeworth confusedly. "What…?"

"Daddy!" Trucy sounded relieved.

"Mr. Edgeworth just collapsed," explained Athena. "He's…he's shaking, boss. He looks terrible."

"Well, yeah," replied Phoenix. "Obviously. What are you all doing in this elevator, anyway?"

"Mr. Edgeworth said he hadn't ridden in an in years," mumbled Trucy. "We…we thought he was afraid of heights, or maybe enclosed spaces, and we thought that, since it's New Year's today, it'd be a good time to try something new. Y-you got over your fear of heights by climbing up that ladder at the Gatewater hotel over and over again, remember? So, Athena and I thought that maybe all Mr. Edgeworth needed was to get used to elevators. We thought we'd go with him so that he wouldn't get scared, but..."

"We were just trying to help," added Athena, although she didn't sound too confident anymore. "After all, like, Trucy said, it's New Year's. It's…it's a time for new beginnings, and getting over the past. Isn't that right, boss?"

For a tense moment, Phoenix was silent. Then he let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Some things you don't get over," he muttered. "Edgeworth's not afraid of heights or small spaces. It's not that simple."

"…Oh," mumbled Trucy.

"I…I think this may have been a mistake," mumbled Athena.

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix sternly. "You bet it was. Go back to the party, both of you."

"But-!" Trucy sounded like she was going to protest.

Phoenix coughed. "Now," he insisted, in a quiet voice that somehow still very clearly brooked no argument. Edgeworth couldn't remember ever having heard him sound that stern before.

Without another word, Trucy and Athena left the elevator. Edgeworth could hear their footsteps retreating down the hall.

"Oh boy," sighed Phoenix. Stepping into the elevator, he sank down onto the floor next to Edgeworth, muttering to himself as he had trouble folding his long legs up in the small space.

"Sorry," he said. "They meant well. Really, they did. You should have told them the truth about why you hate elevators."

Edgeworth just shook his head. "I…I don't share that story if I can possibly avoid it. I'm making efforts to put it behind me."

"Sure," agreed Phoenix. "I get that. No offense meant, but it looks like you've still got a long way to go. No reason why you have to rush it."

For a moment, he was silent. Slowly, hesitantly Edgeworth looked up.

Phoenix was smiling wearily at him, his cheeks still a little flushed from the alcohol that Trucy had accused him of abusing. He ran a hand through his hair, sighed, and then held out the other hand to Edgeworth. Taken aback by their unexpected proximity and by the fascinating way the electric elevator lights played in the lines under Phoenix's eyes, at first Edgeworth didn't move.

"Come on," insisted Phoenix, urging the hand. "Let's get out of here."

Slowly, hesitantly Edgeworth accepted Phoenix's hand, allowing Phoenix to help him to his feet. Then he followed Phoenix out of the elevator and into the refreshingly safe openness of the second-floor hallway.

"There," said Phoenix, as the elevator began creakily descending again, apparently in response to someone else's call. "Better now, right?"

Edgeworth just nodded silently.

"Good." Phoenix smiled. "I'm going back to the party. I think it might be time to have a little talk about boundaries with my daughter and my understudy."

Giving Edgeworth a quick little rallying clap on the shoulder, Phoenix turned and started heading for the stairs.

"W-Wright," managed Edgeworth as the sensation began flooding back into his limbs and face again. "Please, wait a moment."

Phoenix turned around and raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Sure, what is it?"

Edgeworth cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I…I have a request."

Phoenix just nodded,waiting. Edgeworth took a deep breath.

"I would like," he said slowly, "to try the elevator again."

Phoenix blinked. "What?"

"Ah, no," muttered Edgeworth. "Perhaps 'like' is not the appropriate word. There is, however, some merit to what your daughter and Miss Cykes were attempting. My rather shameful inability to cope with my emotions in situations of this nature must be dealt with at some point. Weaknesses are to be overcome and put behind us. I…I must learn to fearlessly experience elevators, eventually."

"Uh, well no, not really," insisted Phoenix. "Honestly, you could just take the stairs. There's nothing wrong with the stairs. Actually, the say the stairs are better for you."

"Any weakness is a disadvantage," retorted Edgeworth.

"Jeez," returned Phoenix. "That sounds like something Von Karma would say."

Edgeworth winced. "It…is a particular mantra of Fransizka's, as a matter of fact."

Phoenix snorted a laugh. "Well that's no surprise. Sure, fine, have it your way. I guess I can give my daughter a firm parental talking-to another day."

He stepped forward and pushed the elevator button again. Again, the elevator began audibly rattling up from the bottom floor.

Edgeworth was startled. "You…are going to accompany me?"

"Huh? Of course I am." Phoenix shrugged. "Wait, isn't that what you wanted? Did I read that wrong?"

The elevator doors opened, and Phoenix stepped inside, turning expectantly to Edgeworth.

"Okay," he said. "Come on, let's try this again."

For a moment, Edgeworth hesitated. Then he nodded, steeled himself, and followed Phoenix into the elevator. As the doors closed behind him he could feel the panic beginning to rise again in his chest, and again he could feel the ancient rumbling of an earthquake from long ago.

"Wright," he rasped, clenching both of his fists and doing everything in his power to force down the desperation.

Phoenix just shook his head.

"It'll be over before you know it," he insisted. "Um, hey, why don't you try thinking of something else. You know, something that makes you feel good. They say everybody has a 'happy place' that they think of when they're stressed or starting to freak out. At least, Athena's always telling me that works. See if you can find your 'happy place.'"

Nodding, Edgeworth clasped his hands in front of them, washing them together hard while watching Phoenix's face out of the corner of his eye. Phoenix seemed to be whistling to himself under his breath, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet as the elevator descended. Again, the electric lights cast strange shadows on Phoenix's face. Edgeworth took a deep breath and let himself focus on the gentle sounds of tuneless whistling, the light and shadow, and the fact that he wasn't, for the moment at least, alone.

"Did you find it?" Phoenix frowned at him. "Your 'happy place,' I mean?"

Edgeworth juts nodded.

"Oh, really?" Phoenix sounded relieved. "Well, uh, great! And look, we're already at the bottom."

To his surprise, Edgeworth realized suddenly that the elevator ride had ended. They were, in fact, already on the first floor.

"Ah," he mumbled. "I…I didn't realize."

"That's probably a good thing," replied Phoenix, smiling. "Do you want to call it a day, or should we go for broke and ride right back up again?"

He grinned, and Edgeworth coughed.

"Y-yes," h e mumbled. "Yes, I think I can do that. Just…just once more, perhaps."

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **Huh, I kind of like this piece. I mean, it's not great, but it's not awful. Okay, so maybe it's a little closer to awful than great.

Maybe I'll include it in my **To Turnabout Eternally** collection after a few touch-ups and a little tweaking.

What do you think? Please, I value your thoughts very highly.


	38. The Ghost in the Turnabout - One

**Author's Note: **So, you may have noticed that during the Christmas episode of **At Last, My Turnabout, **Maya was conspicuously absent. Why was that? She's Phoenix's best friend, right? She showed up at every wedding, every funeral, and every birthday party he attended throughout the story. She was pigging out with him on New Year's Eve, so where the heck was she on Christmas day?

This little side-story intends to answer that question.

* * *

**THIRD STORY:**

**The Ghost in the Turnabout**

**By Ari Moriarty**

* * *

**Chapter One: Of Turnabouts Past**

**December 25, 2028**

**9:00 AM**

**Phoenix Wright's Apartment Building**

That Christmas morning, Maya didn't take the elevator to Phoenix's fifth-floor apartment. Instead, she rode all the way down to the basement, which even on the best and happiest holiday of the year was eerily dark and silent.

_Huh, _thought Maya, frowning to herself. _I wonder if everybody's still asleep, down here. You'd think they'd all be up celebrating, opening presents, eating a big Christmas breakfast…stuff like that! Oh, or maybe nobody down here celebrates Christmas. We have to be respectful other people's holiday traditions, or of their decision not to celebrate. It doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me, but as long as everybody else is happy, then I'm happy! After all, being happy is what Christmas is all about!_

Shifting her giant paper shopping bag into her left hand, Maya knocked hard on the door of apartment B-12.

"Good mooooorning," she called. "Merry Christmas!"

At first, there was no response. Maya waited, but the door didn't open.

"Come on, I know you're in there," she insisted. "Open up, please? I got you a present, and I'm going to stay put right here and not move at all until you let me in!" Pausing, she reflected on that for a moment. "And then," she added, "I'll probably get really, really hungry, and if you leave me here for too long, I might starve to death right here in front of your apartment, and that would just really, really awkward and messy."

Still, there was silence from the other side of the door.

Maya knocked again, more urgently his time. "Come on, please? Have a heart? It's Christmas! You can't let a poor, kind, selfless girl like me starve to death on Christmas! That's just…wrong. I mean, think of the bad karma points. They'd be off the charts! You'd probably end up unlucky for the rest of your life. Come on. Let me in."

After another prolonged moment of silence the door finally creaked open, revealing the barefoot figure of a man with a coffee-colored tan, wearing a pair of silver-striped pajamas and looking vaguely annoyed. He had an overgrown shock of strikingly bright-white hair, and a a terrible scar in the middle of his forehead, right between his cloudy eyes.

"Bah," mumbled Diego Armando, yawning and scratching at the side of his face with one finger. "Humbug."

Maya grinned.

"Good morning," she began, "and Meeeeeeeeerrry Christmas! Ho, ho, ho! Here, I brought something for you." She started to hold out the bag to him, but then stopped and frowned. "Oh. Wait, Mr. Armando, you're not wearing your mask. You can't see me, right? It's me, Maya!"

Armando snorted a rueful little laugh. "I know who you are, Little Kitten. There's no mistaking that melodiously shrill, high-pitched voice of yours, like a chainsaw to the last nerve at this unhealthy hour of the morning." Giving her just the shadow of a smile to take some of the sting out of his words, he added, "and besides, it's not like I get a lot of other visitors down here."

Maya rolled her eyes. "And whose fault is that?"

Without waiting for an invitation, she ducked under Armando's arm and went into the apartment.

It was a small, cheap apartment, made cheaper to maintain by the total lack of furniture and decoration. Besides Maya and Armando himself, the apartment contained nothing but a mattress on the floor, a door that presumably led to a bathroom, and a sparkling-clean kitchenette with an elaborate array of boxes, bags, packets and tubs laid out on the counter, all of which apparently contained different kinds, brands, and flavors of coffee.

"I bought you a present," repeated Maya, lifting a package out of her shopping bag. It was haphazardly wrapped in blue paper with tiny smiling snowmen on it.

Armando was in the process of fitting his visor back on. "Uh, thanks," he mumbled. "You didn't have to do that."

Maya bounced up and down eagerly on the balls of her feet. Open it! Go on!"

Gingerly, Armando accepted the package, turned it over in his hands, and then shrugged and pulled off the paper.

"H-hey," he muttered, clearly surprised.

It was a brand new black and white coffee maker, complete with a whole sparkling array of buttons on the face that, according to the saleswoman, did some very exciting and fancy things to regular, ordinary coffee beans. Maya wasn't entirely sure what the saleswoman had meant when she'd said that as Maya hereslf didn't actually know anything much about coffee. Still, the idea of 'exciting' coffee had been an appealing one, and somehow it seemed to fit an addict like Mr. Armando, who Maya assumed would probably be able to figure out how it worked.

"I almost got the red one," Maya informed him, "but I remembered at the last minute."

"Heh." Armando just shook his head, smiling an incredulous little smile. "Wow. This is really something. Thanks, Little Kitten. Maybe you're not a Little Kitten, after all. Maybe you're my Little Angel."

He turned and headed into the kitchen to hook up the coffee maker, and Maya followed him. She perched herself on the edge of the counter and watched while Armando searched for an extra wall outlet.

"I know your old coffee machine broke a couple of weeks ago," she said, "and I figured you might not make it until the end of the month without one, so I asked Nick if I could borrow the money. There was a sale at the Good Buy this week on kitchen appliances. I thought about getting you a dishwasher and a microwave, too, but Nick got mad about me going over his budget for the month, and besides, I probably couldn't carry a dishwasher very far."

Armando just nodded. "Smart," he murmured.

"Right?" Maya beamed. "I thought so."

Armando pushed a button, and the coffee machine began to click and whir. He looked extremely pleased. "Thanks for thinking of me, anyway. And how is our Mr. Phoenix Wright? Still the brightest point in the legal constellation?"

Maya frowned.

"Actually, he's kind of having a hard time," she admitted. "He fell in love with the Chief Prosecutor and they started going out, but a horrible tabloid journalist started writing vicious articles about them, and then everyone started to hate Nick for being gay. He got beaten up in an alley, and now his back and ribs are broken and the Chief Prosecutor won't return any of his phone calls."

She waited, but Armando didn't bat an eyelash. He didn't even look up from his new coffee machine.

Love," he said after a moment, frowning. "Love, huh? Love is a cruel and bitter mistress. There's no arguing with her, and no way of winning her game. She'll take you all the way to the bottom of your very last cup, and she'll still leave you unsatisfied."

"Right," agreed Maya, not entirely sure what that meant. _It sounded good, though, _she thought. _Deep. I bet it was deep. _

Armando shrugged. "Sounds tough, but I figure he'll be okay. He's had his fair share of hard times, and it's never been too much for him, yet."

Maya nodded hurriedly. "Oh, yeah! Yeah, he's…he's gonna be just fine!" She heard her own voice falter a little, and she swallowed, determined not to let herself get emotional at a time like this. "The doctor says he'll be back to normal in a couple of months! Don't you worry."

"Good," said Armando. "Glad to hear it."

He made himself a mug of coffee, inhaled deeply and then spent a moment obviously enjoying the fragrance wafting out of the still-untasted cup.

Then, he sighed.

"So," he asked. "What about you, Little Kitten?"

"Huh?" Maya blinked. "What do you mean?"

Still holding the coffee mug, Armando turned and looked Maya square in the eye. At least, it felt like he did.

"I'm not worried about Wright," he said. "I know he'll be fine. He's always fine. His luck is disgustingly good. There's no stopping him."

"Yeah," agreed Maya, nodding emphatically. "Yeah, you're right! Our Nick's no pushover! He doesn't let anything get him down for long!"

Armando nodded.

"You, though," he muttered, pointing a finger at Maya. "I'm worried about you."

Maya was startled. "M-me? Why? Why would you be worried about me? I'm fine. I'm no pushover, either."

"Yeah," agreed Armando calmly. "I know that. Maybe I know that better than most, but still." He shrugged. "Someone you care about got hurt, and it sounds like he got hurt pretty bad. That' can't be too much fun for you. Watching someone you care for take a beating can be terrifying, maybe more terrifying than having to take the blow yourself. That's part of love, too; the scary part. I remember."

_This isn't about me, _thought Maya. _I'm not the one who has to deal with all the back and rib injuries! Nicks' the one who's really suffering, here! What's important is how he's feeling. There's no time for me to get upset! I...I have to keep it together._

"I...I'm fine," she insisted stoically, if a little doubtfully. "Honestly, I'm okay! But, um, thanks for caring!"

Armando's gaze was starting to make Maya uncomfortable, and she tried to look away. He reached out and lifted her chin, turning her to gaze directly into the visor where his sightless eyes should have been. His fingers were gentle enough, but his face was serious, and Maya was sure that if she could see his eyes, he'd be giving her a very stern look.

"Don't lie to me, Little Kitten," he warned her. "Don't be a martyr. I can see right through you."

"But...you're blind," mumbled Maya.

Armando shook his head. "Sure, maybe I am," he returned. "But that doesn't change a thing. I can feel it, even if I can't see it. You and I…we're not so different. We've both been burned by the past. Our pasts burned so hot that we've still got the scalded scars to show for it, and no amount of turning a blind eye is gonna make that bitter darkness any easier to swallow."

Maya took a quick breath, and set her lip stubbornly. "I need to be brave for Nick," she told Armando. "He needs me to not be afraid, right now."

Armando released her, and took a step back.

"Yeah," he said, turning back to the coffee maker. "I guess he does, but…what do you need?"

Maya didn't really have an answer for that.

Armando shrugged. "Sometimes," he told her, "it's okay to be afraid."

Finally taking a long sip of his coffee, Armando sighed, and a little shiver shot down his spine.

"That's the good stuff," he breathed. "Two weeks is way too long. You're amazing. I'm really grateful. Now maybe I can get some sleep at night."

Maya was still thinking about what Armando had said, and now about Nick, too. She thought about scary things in the past, and about the looming, frightening possibilities of the future.

"You should go see Nick," she told Armando. "I mean….he lives right upstairs. I bet he'd be really surprised to know that you've been here all along!"

Armando just shook his head. "Nope. Sorry, but I'm not interested."

"But," insisted Maya, "he'd really like to see you! I know he would. He still talks about you, sometimes, and he still drinks that 'blend number seven,' stuff before most of his big trials. You've never met his daughter, or his new understudies, but he's told them all the story about the time that you saved my life."

"The time when I killed your mother, you mean," mumbled Armando.

Maya paused. "Y-yeah," she whispered. "Well…you had to. You…you had to."

For a long moment, the two of them sat in silence by the coffee machine, listening to the faint, muffled sounds of the rest of the building starting to wake up for Christmas day celebrations.

"I already said I'm not interested," said Armando quietly. "I'm a demon that Wright's already faced. Sounds like he's got plenty of new ones to contend with. It's time for me to be nothing more than a bitter memory."

"I don't think of you that way," Maya assured him. "I never have."

Slowly, Armando actually smiled.

"I already said you were a Little Angel," he reminded her.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **So, Diego Armando is my favorite AA character, by far.

...maybe I should never try to write these two characters again, though. That was hard, and the result is awful. I'm...I'm going out to clear my head


	39. The Ghost in the Turnabout - Two

**Author's Note: **Despite the fact that I absolutely SUCK at writing these two characters, I have to finish what I started. I had planned out three chapters; I will write three chapters. I am a slave to habit and design.

If you can grin and bear it, then please stick with me while we finish this little story. Maybe it'll improve as it goes along.

I sure hope so.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Of Turnabouts Present**

**January 1, 2029**

**3:00 AM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

Maya groaned softly to herself as she lay on her back on Phoenix's living room sofa.

_I think I ate too much, _she thought miserably. _I probably should have stopped after that fourth bowl. They're so salty, though…I just can't stop eating once I start! Those noodles are dangerous, but if Eldoon's is wrong then maybe I don't want to be right! _

She thought she could hear Phoenix snoring from the other side of his bedroom door.

_At least, _she thought, _Nick seemed to be okay. I'm glad he had fun. He's been so gloomy, lately. It's kinda tough to take. I hope he and Mr. Edgeworth sort things out soon. Oh, or actually, maybe it's time that Nick started dating other people. You know what they say; the best way to get under somebody is to get over someone else! Wait, uh, no, that's wrong. It's the other way around. Anyway, I guess I could try setting him up on a blind date. That's what friends are for, right? Don't worry, Nick, I've got your back! _

Outside the window, the moon and stars were out. Maya spent a moment watching the deserted street, five floors below. At this hour of the morning, even the most die-hard New Year's Eve revelers had gone in for the night. The pavement was covered in streamers and what looked like the shards of broken bottles.

Maya frowned.

_Littering's rude, _she thought. _I wonder who has to clean that up in the morning? Oh, well. As long as it's not me. Maybe the city has some kind of task force assigned to that. The New Year's Eve Clean-Up brigade! That sounds like the kind of job Detective Gumshoe would end up getting assigned to. Talk about a guy with bad luck…_

Just as Maya was preparing to roll over and to try to grab another hour of sleep on the couch, a lone figure emerged from the apartment building and stepped out on to the trash-strewn sidewalk. He was fully dressed in a snappy teal shirt and a white tie, and Maya caught just a quick glimpse of his visor before he turned away from the window to face the street.

_Oh, _she thought. _Mr. Armando!_

Something about his white hair in the moonlight made him look for just a moment like the ghost of New Year's past. As Maya watched through the window, he lifted his coffee mug, took a swig, stood motionless for a moment, then turned around and started back into the building.

"Oh, wait!" Without thinking about it, Maya jumped up and rushed out of the apartment. She ran down four flights of stairs as fast as she could, and arrived on the first-floor landing panting, wheezing, and struggling for breath.

"Mr. Armando," she gasped "Wait!"

Armando paused with his finger poised above the elevator call button and raised an eyebrow.

"Hey there, Little Kitten," he said. "What's on fire?"

"N-nothing," managed Maya, now really wishing she'd gone easier on the noodles. "I just wanted to catch you before you went back to bed! I wanted to wish you Happy New Year!"

She straightened up and grinned at him.

Armando grimaced in return. "Oh…that," he muttered. "Hah…yeah, I guess it is New Year's. That explains all the noise in the hallway."

"What?" Maya blinked." You…you didn't know?"

"Maybe I would have, if I'd thought about it," muttered Armando, shrugging. "Can't say I pay much attention. All the days sort of blend together, now. This morning's just another morning. There's nothing special about it, New Year or not."

Maya gaped. "Wait, how can you say that? It's New Year's Eve! That's, like, pretty much the most important holiday of the whole year!"

Armando gave her a wry smile. "You really get into holidays, huh?"

Maya ignored him. "A New Year is like a whole new beginning," she informed him. "It's a chance to start over and get all the stuff right that you got wrong last year! I made a big, long list of all the stuff that I'm going to do differently this year, and there are at least six things on it that aren't the same as the ones I put on last year's list! That's progress! New Year's is all about progress."

"Progress, huh?" Armando frowned thoughtfully. "Hate to break it to you, Little Kitten, but I think I'm done with progress."

"You can't be done with progress," retorted Maya. "That's not a thing that happens. If you're stuck in a rut, you just have to try a little harder!"

"Wake up and smell the coffee," muttered Armando. "There are no more 'new beginnings' for me. I've been back from the fires of hell not once, but twice, Little Kitten. I've been given all my do-overs already, and I've screwed them all. All that's left for me to do is to drink the dregs of the mess I brewed for myself, and to try to be a man about it. New Year's is nothing for me to get excited about."

Maya stamped her foot, angrier and more frustrated than she'd expected to be.

"That's not true," she told him belligerently. "There are always new beginnings. It's never over until it's over!"

"Yeah," agreed Armando. "But for me, it's over. It's been over. Let it go. This is a fight you can't win."

_I hate it when he talks like this, _thought Maya. _Nick believed in him and Nick worked his butt off in court to get him that 'justifiable homicide' verdict. He wouldn't have done that if it was really 'all over.' Mr. Armando can't just throw all of that away like it was a waste of our time. _

"Hah," mumbled Armando, smiling softly. "That face you're making right now; it looks just like the one Mia used to make when she was in a real temper. Your eyes flash like hers did. Funny, because I don't always see the resemblance, but I see it now."

"My sister?" Maya blinked. "You think I look like my sister?" She shook her head. "No, my sister was beautiful. I'm just…me." She gestured helplessly with both hands. "I'm nothing like her."

Armando pointed a finger at her. "Don't sell yourself short, Little Kitten."

_Yeah, right, _thought Maya, secretly pleased with the compliment. _Mia was wonderful. If I was more like her, then so much would never have happened. I bet if Mia had been around, then Mr. Armando would never have had to do what he did. He'd never have had to protect Mia. She could take care of herself. She was wise, and fearless, and beautiful. Mia was special. I'm nothing like that._

"Mia wouldn't let you talk like this, if she was here," mumbled Maya. "She'd want you to be happy. I bet she'd be mad if she knew that you were acting so gloomy."

"Yeah," agreed Armando, sighing. "Yeah, I bet you're right about that."

Maya frowned. "Maybe I should call her. Then you can tell her all about how New Year's is boring because your life sucks and you won't have any more new beginnings. If I can't convince you, then she probably can. She'll talk some sense into you!"

Maya crossed both arms over her chest and glared at Armando.

Armando's mouth fell open in surprise, and then he shook his head and took a long swig of his coffee.

"Not a chance," he muttered, "You wouldn't do a thing like that. Uh. Would you?"

"I sure would," mumbled Maya. "I'll call her right now, if you want."

Armando's face went suddenly pale. "H-hey, come on, there's no need for this kind of warfare," he assured her hastily. "I get it, I get it. The little lady wants me to stop; I'll stop. You win."

_Good, _thought Maya triumphantly.

"But," she insisted, "that's not good enough. You need to try harder."

Armando raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yeah." Maya nodded. "I want you to, um…to make a New Year's resolution. Just one, but it has to be a really good one."

Armando snorted a derisive little laugh. "Um, no," he said. "Let's not overdo it."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "You have to do it. Come up with just one good New Year's resolution, and I'll let it go. That's how you're going to show me that you're not giving up on the New Year. If you don't, I'm gonna call my sister and let her handle it."

For a moment, it looked like Armando was going to protest. Then he sighed, shook his head, and shrugged.

"Hah, so Little Kitten's got claws after all," he mumbled. "You drive a hard bargain, but I don't see how I can get out of this one. A man has to know when he's been beaten. All right. One New Year's resolution it is."

He took a deep breath, looking annoyed, and cast a quick glance out the large lobby windows.

"Jeez," he muttered.

"I'll make one too," suggested Maya helpfully. "And I'll start, so that you can have some time to think. Um, let's see." She frowned. "This year, I want to spend more time with my little cousin Pearl. Only, I guess she's not actually so little anymore. I mean, she just turned eighteen. Oh, and this year I want to borrow a lot less of Nicks' money. Maybe I'll even make some of my own money. Actually, I want to get him a big thank you present, with my own money, for all the times he's been nice enough to bail me out."

Armando nodded, looking impressed. "That's nice. Sounds like Pearl and Wright are pretty lucky people. Those are some selfless resolutions."

"Oh, don't worry," Maya assured him. "I made a ton of selfish ones, too. For example, this year I want to try eating at every single new restaurant in the city at least once, although that'll probably mean that I have to spend more of Nick's money, so we'll see."

Armando almost laughed.

"Your turn," Maya reminded him. "You only need to come up with one, so don't waste it on something stupid."

Armando nodded slowly. "Right," he sighed. "Sure. Here goes." He cleared his throat.

"Uh, this year," he announced awkwardly, "I think I'd like to be the man you seem to think I am. I'd like to be the legendary hero you're always talking about, and not the washed-up joke of a nameless ex-con that I see when I look at my reflection at the bottom of the coffee pot."

Maya was surprised. "W-wow," she said. "That's…that's actually really deep."

Armando gave her a mocking little bow. "Glad you like it," he muttered. "Am I done, now?"

"Um," she corrected him, "but you do have a name, though."

"I have a bunch of names," shrugged Armando." Got a couple of different personalities, too. Still not sure which one of them's me. Maybe that's another goal for the New Year, but I won't be holding my breath and letting the coffee get cold."

He scowled down at his coffee mug, and something twisted uncomfortably at Maya's insides. She couldn't be sure if what she was feeling came from the mass of slowly-digesting noodles, or from the unusually pained look on Armando's face.

"I thought of another one," she said aloud. "Another resolution, I mean."

"Yeah?" Armando looked up at her. "You're just full of these, aren't you?"

"Uh huh." Maya nodded. "This year, I want you to smile, more. You never really smile. I want to see a real, big, happy smile."

"Wha…what?" Armando looked startled. "What kind of a resolution is that? Are you even allowed to make a wish like that for someone else?"

Maya had to think about that for a moment. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "Maybe not. Maybe it's just more of a long-term goal."

For a moment, Armando said nothing. Then, slowly, a real, genuine smile started to spread its way across his face

"Hah," he whispered. "You Fey women are all something else."

Maya beamed. "Heeey, it worked! I made you smile!"

Armando just shrugged. "What can I say," he murmured. "It's not easy to refuse anything to a Little Kitten like you."

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yup. This still sucks.

Welp, I suppose we can't win them all.


	40. The Ghost in the Turnabout - Three

**Author's Note: **Well, one more chapter to go. I'm trying not to let myself lose all faith in my ability as a writer.

After you've finished this chapter, I'd really, really like some feedback from you, specifically about my characterization of Diego Armando/Godot. It's driving me batshit, and I'd love to know your honest opinion, even if you don't think it's an opinion that I'll like. I need either some vindication, or some direction, here. Pretty please?

* * *

**Chapter Three: Of Turnabouts Future**

**February 14, 2029**

**12:00 PM**

**Phoenix Wright's Apartment Building**

On the morning of Valentine's Day, Maya got up early, or least earlier than usual. Throwing open her closet, she took a long, hard, slightly disappointed look at the rows and rows of nondescript and identical channeling robes that she wore almost every day of her life.

_Nope, _she thought. _Not good enough! I need something, um…more adult. More, uh, professional, maybe. What would Mia wear?_

She rummaged around a little more in the very back of the closet until she came up with the three things that she owned but never, ever wore.

_Hmm, _she thought, holding out a slinky little black dress that she'd purchase don a whim once after watching one too many spy movies with Detective Gumshoe. _How about this one? Nah, maybe not. Too 'va-va-voom' for me, and besides, it makes me look short. _

Next she considered a blue and white sundress that she'd once (and only once) worn on a picnic out with Nick and Pearly. _Well, this is pretty, sure, and it seems like the kind of thing he'd like, but…uh, it's February. Even in LA, I think it's too cold for a summer dress. I'd freeze to death._

Finally, Maya settled on a nice two-piece business skirt-suit that her sister had bought for her many years ago. It was just a little bit tight in the waist, but there was plenty of room in the bust, and that, Maya decided, was probably for the best.

_Hey, _she thought. _I can still fit into stuff that I was wearing at age sixteen! That's a good thing, right? _

Twirling herself about just once in the mirror, she sighed and made a face.

_I guess that means I'll always look like a kid, though. Oh, well. _

With her outfit settled, Maya ran a brush quickly through her hair, grabbed a hairtie and began to pull it up into her typical topknot, then frowned, shook her head, and let her hair fall naturally.

_Sheesh, _she thought. _This is kind of harder than I thought it would be. Is this what most girls go through in the morning? Maybe it's a good thing that I'm not pretty. I have so much less to worry about!_

Thus buoyed by the knowledge of her own merciful inadequacy, Maya bounced out of her room, out of Fey Manor, and down the road towards the bus stop.

Throughout the entire bus ride, Maya found that she was having a hard time keeping herself from bubbling over with excitement. She kicked her feet against the seatback in front of her, hummed to herself, and fidgeted with the hairtie that she'd left around her wrist (just in case.)

_He's going to be so happy, _she thought. _I'm a super genius! This is the best Valentine's Day surprise that anyone has come up with, ever. In a competition for 'who gives the best presents,' I absolutely win, hands down, no contest. Generosity might as well be my middle name! Maya 'Generosity' Fey. Oooh, you know, that doesn't sound half-bad!_

She jogged all the way to the apartment building, which wasn't exactly easy to do in a pencil skirt, and then made her way down to the basement.

"Mr. Armando," she called, knocking cheerfully on the door. "Guess who!"

The door swung open almost immediately this time, revealing Armando. He started to grin, then suddenly froze, went pale, and opened his mouth in surprise."Wh-what the…?"

For a moment, he stared at her, speechless and silent.

Maya blinked. "Um…Mr. Armando? Are you okay?" What's wrong?"

Just as suddenly, the spell was broken. Armando swallowed, took a deep breath, and then gave her a hesitant little rueful half-smile.

"N-nevermind," he muttered. "For a moment there, I thought you were someone else. So, it's you after all, Little Kitten. Right. Of course it is. Must have been the caffeine haze playing tricks on me, that's all."

He looked almost disappointed, and Maya found herself feeling unexpectedly just a little bit sad.

"Somehow, I had a feeling you'd come today," he went on, clearing his throat and obviously making an effort to pull himself together. "What's up this time?"

"Uh, um…H-happy Valentine's Day," mumbled Maya, a bit deflated.

Armando grimaced. "Right. Valentine's Day. Tell me something; is there any holiday you don't like?"

"That's not what you're supposed to say," insisted Maya. "You're supposed to say 'Happy Valentine's Day to you, too, Maya.'"

"Hah." Armando shrugged, then saluted her with his mug. "You forget," he reminded her, taking a sip. "I'm a miserable, lonely old curmudgeon, still choking down the dregs of romantic disappointment. This holiday wasn't designed for people like me."

"That," Maya informed him, "is where you're wrong!" Rallying, she planted both hands on her hips.

_This'll cheer him right up, _she told herself, trying not to think too hard about the weird, almost haunted way he'd been looking at her a moment ago.

"Oh, yeah?" Armando gave her a tolerant half-smile. "Why's that?"

"Because," she informed him, "I've got another present for you. Today, you're going on a Valentine's Day date!"

The smile slipped right off of Armando's face, and he gave her a blank sort of stare. "I'm…what?"

"Oh, but not with me," Maya assured him quickly. "I'm not going. You're going to have to guess who your date is."

"Uh," mumbled Armando, raising an eyebrow.

Maya grinned. "I'll give you a hint," she said. "Well, actually, I sort of AM a hint. Look at what I'm wearing. Who does it remind you of?"

"H-hang on a second, Little Kitten," muttered Armando warningly. "You can't be telling me what I think you're telling me." He took a long sip of his coffee, and Maya noticed that his hand on the mug was shaking just a little bit, causing the liquid to slosh around and almost spill over the side.

Maya took pity on him. "Mia," she told him. "You're going on a Valentine's date with Mia, obviously! I'm going to call her so that the two of you can spend some time together, just like in the old days! Isn't that great?" She beamed.

Armando made a choking sound in his throat. "I...was afraid you were gonna say something like that," he muttered. Taking a long swig of coffee, he turned away from Maya, shaking his head.

"Sorry, Little Kitten," he said quietly, "but there isn't going to be any date."

Maya was startled. "But," she began.

"You mean well, I get that," interrupted Armando, far more sharply than Maya was used to hearing him speak. "I'm asking you to let this one go, though, and I don't want you to argue with me. You're a hard woman to say no to, but this one isn't up for debate."

He was so serious that Maya almost felt a little frightened, and just nodded.

"Good." Armando seemed to relax a little bit. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"But," whispered Maya, unable to stop herself, "why? Don't you want to see my sister?"

Armando winced. "Yeah," he admitted. "Yeah, I want to see her. I want to see her real bad."

"Then," insisted Maya, "why-?"

"Because." Armando spun around suddenly to face Maya again, and for the first time she was glad that she couldn't see his eyes. There was something wild and hard about his voice that she wasn't sure she wanted to see on his face. "It's exactly because I want to see her so much that I can't let myself do it. When you kick a habit, you do it cold-turkey, no regrets, no looking back."

Maya wasn't sure what to say.

Armando sighed. "Have you ever been in love, Little Kitten?"

"N-no," said Maya. "I…I don't think so."

Armando just nodded thoughtfully." Love," he explained, "is like coffee. It's a drug that gets into your system and turns you into something else. After a while, you can't sleep without it, you can't think without it, and it turns into an addiction. You crave it all the time, and nothing's ever a good substitute. Once that happens you're hooked, and the only way to cure that is to cut yourself off, cold, no mercy. No more drug. No more high. Eventually, no more addiction."

"O-oh," mumbled Maya, confusedly.

"You get it, right?" Armando frowned. "I can't ever see her again. That's just the way it is." Pausing a moment, he took another sip of his coffee, swallowed, then added, bitterly "Besides, you were right the other day, when you said she'd probably never want to see me like this. Guess it's all for the best, in the end."

A long, harsh and laden silence stretched out between them. There was a knot forming in Maya's stomach that had nothing whatsoever to do with noodles, this time, and she couldn't bring herself to look straight at Armando anymore.

_I messed this up too, _she thought, biting hard at her lip. _Without Mia, nothing's enough, anymore. I...I shouldn't be trying to use my sister like this. I shouldn't be channeling her just for a stupid holiday. That's not how the Kurain Master is supposed to behave, but I really, really thought...! _

"I…I'm sorry," she whispered, unable to come up with anything else. There were tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, and she couldn't figure out if she was really sad, or if she was just channeling too much of Armando's own pain. Somehow, it didn't seem to matter much.

"Don't be," Armando insisted, reaching out to give her a comforting little pat on the shoulder. "Like I said…you meant well."

Maya shied away from the shoulder pat, suddenly and irrationally wanting to be anywhere but here. She felt hot, embarrassed, ashamed and miserable, and all of the excitement she'd felt on the bus ride that morning seemed to have evaporated in a second.

"I…I'll be going, then," she stammered, backing away from the door. "Sorry again, Mr. Armando. I…I should go home."

She thought about Phoenix, and wondered if by any chance he was still upstairs in his apartment.

_No, _she realized. _It's the middle of the day. He's at the office, still. Besides, he probably has a date, after work. I don't want to get in the way…_

She turned to leave, but Armando suddenly called out after her.

"Wait," he sighed. "This is no way to leave it. Come on, don't cry."

"I'm not crying," insisted Maya, sniffling. "It's okay."

"Now I feel like a monster for spoiling your surprise," muttered Armando. "I've told you before, Little Kitten; you're wasting your time and energy on a bitter old wreck like me. No matter how you look at it, I've got nothing left but the dregs. There's nothing good enough for you, here."

"No," whispered Maya, shaking her head stubbornly. "I don't think so. That's not true."

"Hah," laughed Armando humorlessly. "Stubborn as always."

He sighed, scratched uncomfortably at a place just beneath the left side of his visor, and then shrugged.

"Well, I can't leave a lady crying like this. That just wouldn't be right. We'll have to go on that date after all."

Maya stared, too confused to be startled again. "What? What are you talking about?"

"You're all dolled up," Armando pointed out, gesturing at her ill-fitting suit. "You went through all that trouble just for me. The least I can do is to take you out for lunch. Nothing fancy, but if I remember correctly, there's a burger joint around here somewhere that you like. Is that right?"

"Um…y-yeah," agreed Maya. "But…you were supposed to go out with Mia."

"I know," returned Armando, "but I guess I'd rather go with you. If you want, I'll even ask you like a gentleman." He cleared his throat, actually set his coffee mug down for a moment, then turned back to her and asked with just a hint of mockery in his voice, "Miss Maya, would you care to join me for a burger and a cup of coffee? After all, I hear it's a special day, today."

He held out his arm and then waited patiently, while Maya stared.

"Oh, um…yeah, s-sure," she said after a moment, belatedly realizing that he was expecting some kind of response. Dazedly, she linked her arm through his and let him lead her up the stairs and onto the first floor. From there, they made their way out onto the street.

Once they were out of the building, Armando released Maya's arm. "So," he asked pleasantly, as though nothing sad had ever happened. "Where do you want to go?"

Maya turned him the direction of Boris' Burgers. "It's across the street and around that right-hand corner," she explained. "Um…it might be crowded, though, because it's lunchtime."

"That's fine," insisted Armando. "After all, we're in no rush."

He stepped to the curb, obviously prepared to cross the street, and alarm bells suddenly went off in Maya's head.

"Wait," she shouted, flinging her arm out in front of him. "You can't see!"

Armando chuckled tolerantly. "I can see all right with the visor on, remember?"

_Yeah, _thought Maya, _but 'all right' isn't good enough! There's a lot of traffic at this time of day! Besides you can't see red lights, remember? _

Reaching out, she found his hand and slipped hers into it.

"Well, just to be on the safe side," she told him, "wait for me, okay? I'll tell you when it's okay to cross."

Armando snorted a laugh, shook his head, then gently squeezed Maya's hand.

"Okay," he said, shrugging. "Whatever you say, Little Kitten."

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

Well, at least we got through it!

Anyway, that's the end of that little story, for now. Both Maya and Armando will be playing significant roles in the upcoming sequel story, and so I wanted to make sure that we introduced their arc a little bit before we got started.

I had this horrible long, boring work meeting today, and I spent most of it writing outlines and plot notes for upcoming chapters. I've finished fully outlining the next three chapters of this fic, so expect some more updates over the next few days!

Saturday through Monday, however, I will absolutely NOT be able to update at all. This time, I'm not bringing my computer out to the campgrounds with me. I don't want to risk anything happening to it…


	41. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Prologue

**Author's Note: **So, I went into withdrawal and decided to start writing a lot sooner than originally intended.

There are only two important things that you need to know before we start the story.

I've gone back and retroactively fixed all the dates on **To Turnabout Eternally. **I had set it a year too early. The story should have taken place over the years of 2028/2029, on year/two years after DD. I fixed it, so now all the dates reflect the actual timeline.

**WARNING: **The following story is a romance, set against the backdrop of a serial murder case, and at times it gets very dark. **MAJOR CHARACTERS ARE GOING TO DIE. **This is not a drill, and this is not a joke. I am going to kill people off, and they are probably characters that you like. I'm one of those people who doesn't like to be blindsided by angst and tragedy, so I figured a fair warning was due.

Okay, I think that's everything! I hope you enjoy what you read as much as I enjoy writing it!

* * *

**Fourth Story: **

**Heel, Face, Turnabout**

**By Ari Moriarty**

* * *

**Prologue: All This and Heaven Too**

**September 21, 2029**

**2:00 PM**

**Courtroom No. 1**

At the end of a twenty-minute recess, Phoenix returned to the courtroom where the trial of Mr. Iago Bleek was about to reconvene. The judge, finally beginning to shrink and shrivel with age, was now forced to stand on a phone book to help maintain the gravitas he'd been struggling for all his life. Simon Blackquill had taken his place behind the prosecutor's bench, and his hawk Taka was perched majestically on his shoulder, hungrily eyeing the judge and ruffling her feathers every few moments, apparently restless.

Beside Phoenix at the defense's bench, Athena yawned. "Sheesh," she mumbled. "I'm exhausted..."

The judge nodded kindly at her. "Yes," he agreed, "it has been a long few days, Miss Cykes. At least it seems that we're finally at the end of this remarkably confusing trial. I, for one, could use a nap."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _Actually, a nap sounds nice, right about now. _

It had been an unusually long, harrying and complex case. The trial of Iago Bleek had already taken the entire allotted three days, during which time Phoenix and Blackquill had been almost constantly at each other's throats in their aggressive quest for the truth. Bleek had been arrested for the murder of Darcy Dobley, a sixty-five year old store clerk at the supermarket near his home. At first it had looked like a sordid and unimpressive crime, and Bleek himself wasn't exactly a fearsome figure. He was fifty if he was a day, short, pudgy, and prone to biting at his fingernails when nervous. He'd almost been crying when he'd come to beg Phoenix to take his case, and even the assembled onlookers in the gallery were convinced relatively quickly to rally to his cause.

Unfortunately, Prosecutor Blackquill hadn't seen things so clearly, and it had indeed been an unexpectedly long and drawn-out trial. For a very long time both defense and prosecution had struggled to paint a clear picture of what had actually happened on the night of the murder, and five distinct witnesses had to be called in to give testimony. Newly-reinstated police Detective Maggey Gumshoe, as the lead investigator on the Dobley murder, had to give evidence three times, and the trial was postponed twice in order to give Maggey time to turn up new evidence, re-examine the crime scene and locate new witnesses.

It had been only that morning that Phoenix had finally called Maya in to channel the spirit of the deceased. The testimony provided by the ghost of Darcy Dobler had been about as conclusive as any account could be.

"Well, gentleman," sighed the judge, "thank goodness that this is all over, at last. Before I hand down my verdict, however, there's something that I'd like to ask the defense."

Phoenix looked up from his notes. "Yes, Your Honor?"

The judge squinted at Phoenix, frowning. "Mr. Wright," he asked, "is that a new suit?"

"Oh, uh, this?" Phoenix glanced self-consciously down at his brand-new, perfectly-tailored slate-grey suit. "Y-yeah, it's new. Uh, thanks for noticing."

"Ah," mused the judge. "And it is grey, correct? I don't think I've ever seen you out of that bright-blue thing you usually wear. It's become sort of a staple of this courtroom."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix, "it's grey. Uh, someone told me that the new color makes me look more mature and distinguished." He coughed awkwardly.

"Oh, good." The judge looked relieved. "For a moment, there, I had started to wonder if I was beginning to lose my eyesight." Suddenly, his eyes began to twinkle. "Now, I wonder who it was who gave you such a compliment? 'Mature and distinguished,' hmm? Who does that remind me of?"

From somewhere in the gallery, Maya giggled audibly. Phoenix's could feel himself turning red.

"He's right, you know," intoned Prosecutor Blackquill. "The grey is a better look for an older man. One can take you more seriously, Wright-dono. You appear significantly more formidable and impressive."

_Impressive, huh? Well, that's good, I think. _Phoenix straightened his shoulders, trying to cut a more 'formidable' figure behind the bench.

"Anyway," he announced, "um, if we're done discussing my suit, Your Honor, we all respectfully await your judgment."

The judge nodded. "Yes," he agreed. "Yes, this trial has gone on quite long enough. You've both been very thorough, and strong arguments have been made on both sides, but after the testimony that this court has just heard, I believe it is my duty to pronounce Mr. Iago Bleek Not Guilty."

He slammed his gavel down on the bench. Athena breathed out a long sigh of relief.

"Congratulations, Wright-dono," murmured Blackquill. "Another victory. You are, without a doubt, one of the worthiest and most tactically skilled opponents I have ever faced."

Phoenix smiled. "Hey, you didn't do too badly yourself, Simon. You had me on my toes the whole time."

"You honor me," said Blackquill, inclining his head.

Phoenix just kept smiling. _No, I don't, _he thought. _You have no idea how close I came to giving up, back there. That was intense! Why do I do this lawyering thing, again? __  
_

"Court is now adjourned," announced the judge. "See you all next time, I suppose, although if no one else gets murdered in the very near future, I'd be extremely grateful. This old man could use a nice, long vacation..."

With the bailiff's silent help, the judge stepped down from the bench and made his way out into the lobby. Phoenix, Athena, Blackquill and the rest of those assembled in the courtroom all followed.

Out in the lobby, Maya ran up to Phoenix and Athena, giddy with excitement.

"Nick, you did it," she crowed. "You got our verdict after all! That was CLOSE, though! I was sweating in my seat for a while, there!"

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "It wasn't exactly our smoothest trial, but we made it. You really saved the day again, Maya. Not sure what we would have done without you."

"Right?" Athena wiped a lock of hair out of her face and beamed. "You were amazing, Maya! I've been to a lot of places and seen a lot of amazing things, but spirit channeling is definitely the wildest and most exciting of them all. It's such an incredible talent!"

"Awww, sheesh." Maya grinned. "Well, I guess we make a great team! Hey, Nick, maybe I should join up with the Wright Anything Agency full-time. I could become your official spirit medium! Most law offices don't have one of those, so it would put you right at the head of the game!"

"Sorry, Maya." Phoenix hid a smile and gave her a comforting little pat on the shoulder, "but we've been through this, remember? That won't work. You're the Master of the Kurain Channeling technique. If you start working for me full-time, what will happen to all the new trainees? You have an important position, and a lot of responsibility."

Maya made a face. "Gah. I hate being important. Why is being an adult so boring?"

Maggey Gumshoe caught sight of them across the lobby and came hurrying over.

"Mr. Wright," she said, saluting smartly and standing to attention. "That was...that was really bad luck on my part, sir! My very first case after rejoining the police force, and it turned out that he wasn't guilty!" She deflated a little, obviously doing her best not to look too disappointed.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Phoenix told her. "After all, you were just doing your job, Maggey. If it hadn't been for you, we'd never have turned up half of the evidence that led to the Not Guilty verdict."

"I know," sighed Maggey. "I helped get my own suspect acquitted! See? Unlucky, again."

Phoenix shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Remember, Maggey, your job and the job of the police isn't just to get a conviction. Your job is to make sure that justice is served and that in the end, we learn the truth, even if that truth isn't what we originally expected it to be. You definitely helped us find the truth, and that's what matters. I think you're going to make a great police Detective, Maggey. You're already off to a great start."

Maya looked impressed. "Wow, Nick. That was...actually really inspiring!"

There were now tears collecting in the corners of Maggey's eyes. "Mr. Wright, you...you're so mature!"

Phoenix winced. _Why is everyone using that word, today? I'm only thirty-five! Maybe the grey suit wasn't such a good idea after all..._

"I'll remember your kind words always, sir," continued Maggey, taking a deep breath. "Words to live by! They'll be my new mantra! Truth! Justice!"

_Uh oh, _thought Phoenix. _Now she's starting to sound like Detective Fullbright. What have I done? _

"Thank you so much, sir." Maggey saluted again. "I'm going to head back to the station and get started on whatever's next! Who knows? Maybe this time I might get lucky!"

As Maggey strode determinedly off towards the parking lot, Maya frowned.

"I think," she told Phoenix, "that's the most optimistic thing that I've ever heard Maggey say."

"The boss has that effect on people," said Athena proudly. "He's a real hero!"

_Sheesh, _thought Phoenix, flushing awkardly for the second time that afternoon. A h_ero? C-come on, let's not overdo it..._

"Mr. Wright." Little Mr. Iago Bleek was slowly pushing his way through the crowd, trying to reach Phoenix and Maya. "I...I can't ever thank you enough for what you've done for me."

"Don't mention it." Maya grinned. "The famous Phoenix Wright, to the rescue again!"

Phoenix cleared his throat. "Um, it's no problem, Mr. Bleek. I'm just glad that everything turned out all right in the end. Just, uh, next time you stumble across a murder scene, don't touch anything, okay? And...you probably shouldn't faint in a pool of the victim's blood, either, if you can help it. That definitely didn't improve our case."

Mr. Bleek blinked. "Oh...oh? You...you don't think that something like this could happen again, do you?"

"Hah. In this city?" Maya snorted a laugh. "I've already been arrested for murder three times! Sure, it's always possible!"

"I...I see. Mr. Bleek's eyes went wide. "I'll...keep that in mind, then, shall I?"

Turning back to Phoenix, he flashed a friendly little smile, bobbed a nod, and then turned to leave the courthouse. Phoenix, Maya, and Athena all watched as he pulled, frowned, and then pushed at the double doors.

"He's a real sweetheart," remarked Athena, crossing her arms and smiling at Mr. Bleek's retreating back. "I liked him as soon as we met him!"

"Yeah," agreed Maya, shaking her head. "Who'd ever believe that a little guy like that could commit murder? I mean...look at him! That's just crazy. He's got 'innocent bystander' written all over him!"

As he left the building, Mr. Bleek stumbled on the top step, teetered for a moment, righted himself, and then gingerly continued on his way.

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _She's got a point, there. Poor Mr. Bleek wouldn't hurt a fly...or at least, not on purpose, anyway. _

**Meanwhile, at a local jewelry shop...**

"Welcome to Miracle Box, Fine Gems and Jewelry," announced a suave, skinny salesman from behind the counter. "Is there anything in particular that I can assist you with, today?"

Miles Edgeworth frowned, his head spinning a little bit as he gazed around at the myriad shimmering displays of necklaces, rings,bracelets, cufflinks, broaches, pins and tiaras that lined the walls.

_This...this is a bit, ah, much, _he thought.

Beside him, Trucy, at least, looked impressed. "Wow," she whispered. "I've never seen so many shiny things!"

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "Yes," he said, turning his attention back to the salesman. "I believe you can help. I'm looking for a specific piece. If you don't mind, I'd like to see all of your gentleman's rings."

The salesman just nodded. "Shopping for your yourself, today, sir?"

Edgeworth felt his face getting hotter even before he'd opened his mouth to answer the question. "N-no," he mumbled. "As a matter of fact, I intend it as a gift."

The salesman nodded, smiled, and then turned to rummage around in one of the display cases.

Trucy's mouth had fallen open in surprise. "Mr. Edgeworth...does that mean what I think it means?"

_I have no idea, _thought Edgeworth. _What you think, Miss Trucy, has always been something of an unfathomable mystery to me. _

She glanced over at the salesman, lowered her voice just a little bit, and squeaked, "are you going to ask Daddy to marry you?"

_Ah. _Edgeworth scowled and shook his head. "Preposterous. That would be grossly premature. I'm only looking to buy him a token."

Trucy frowned.

"A present," clarified Edgeworth, "to signify my affection. Nothing more."

"but," Trucy insisted, looking just a little bit deflated, "you do want to marry him, don't you?"

That was a much harder question for Edgeworth to answer. He found that he couldn't just dismiss it with a dirty look. _Do I want to marry Wright, _he mused uncomfortably. _I...I suppose that would be the logical conclusion of any long-term romantic attachment. At least, it's one possible conclusion. There are, of course, others. _

"Daddy's really happy with you," Trucy told him seriously. "I don't think I've ever seen him as happy before as he is with you. He's always smiling, now, and yesterday morning, I even heard him singing in the shower."

_Yes, _thought Edgeworth, stifling a small smile. _I did as well. Your father is truly a terrible singer. He'd do well to confine his operatic endeavors to the bathroom._

"It didn't used to be like that," Trucy went on. "There was a time a couple of years ago when I don't remember him smiling at all. Mr. Edgeworth, I don't ever want to see him that sad again. He's much better off the way he is now, with you. I'm want him to get to stay that way forever."

_Yes, _thought Edgeworth. _I can't deny that I feel the same way. I, too, would rather see Wright happy, and...well, I'm also happy, far happier, in fact, that I ever expected to be. It's...strange, quite honestly, and a bit frightening. This kind of feeling is so fragile. It shatters in a moment, without warning or remorse. No one can determine what the future holds._

"Here you are, sir," announced the salesman, laying a large tray of men's rings out on the counter. "Let me know if you'd like me to take anything out for you."

Edgeworth and Trucy examined the rings together.

"Ooh," exclaimed Trucy, pointing at a large black ring with an impressive blue stone in the middle. "That one's neat."

Edgeworth shook his head. "Far too gaudy," he muttered. "He'd never wear it."

"He'd wear it if you bought it for him," countered Trucy.

"Perhaps," agreed Edgeworth, wagging a finger at her, "and therefore I must choose wisely, for I don't want him to end up wearing a piece he despises purely for my sake. Your father is a proud man, despite some signs to the contrary."

"Uh...well, yeah, that's true." Trucy nodded. "Okay, then, how about this one?" She pointed at a big silver ring with several interlocking Celtic knots inscribed on the side.

Edgeworth made a face."No. It...looks like something you might purchase at a Renaissance festival."

"What?" Trucy blinked. "Wait, Mr. Edgeworth, have you been to one of those? A Renaissance faire, I mean, where everybody dresses up in fancy costumes and talks in old English accents?"

"Unfortunately yes," muttered Edgeworth. "It was a work-related excursion. I did not enjoy it, and before you ask, no, I did not go in costume, nor did I attempt an accent. I was there on a murder investigation."

"Oh." Trucy sighed. "Lucky you. I've always wanted to go to one of those."

Edgeworth frowned down at a gold-plated ring with a skull in the center.

"Ask your father, "he suggested. "It does seem like the kind of thing that he'd enjoy."

"Daddy would want you to go with us," Trucy pointed out. "I think we'd all have more fun if we went together, honestly. We could bring Apollo and Athena, too! Oh, and Miss Maya, maybe, and Pearly, of course...it could be a big family trip!"

Trucy looked delighted with her idea, and Edgeworth couldn't quite bring himself to quash her dreams.

"We...can discuss it," he muttered.

Trucy beamed at him. Then, she suddenly jabbed a finger at a ring in the very far corner of the display case. "I like this one,"she said. "It's not 'gaudy,' but it's, uh, impressive. I think Daddy would like it, too."

Edgeworth looked over at the ring in question. It was a set of three bands; two silver/black ones with one thick gold band in the middle. It was a powerful, masculine sort of ring, and Edgeworth could instantly imagine Phoenix wearing it in the courtroom, grinning to himself as everyone else cast envious glances at his hand.

"Ah," said Edgeworth. "Well done, Trucy. This is perfect."

He indicated the ring to the salesman, who began unlocking the case to take it out.

"Hey, Mr. Edgeworth," asked Trucy. "How come you're getting a ring? Um, instead of something else, I mean. It's...kind of an unusual present."

Again, Edgeworth found himself at a loss for a quick answer. _It certainly is, _he thought. _Jewelry isn't a typical choice for a gentleman's present. Of course, there's nothing necessarily feminine about a ring. As a matter of fact, this one is an obviously masculine choice, so there's nothing to be concerned about in that respect. I...well, I rather like the idea of Wright wearing something of mine, or rather, something I've given him. I can't explain why. _

"You know," Trucy reminded him, "Daddy's not picky. He doesn't necessarily want anything expensive. He'd probably be just as happy if you took him out for noodles. Daddy is a man of simple tastes."

Edgeworth snorted a laugh under his breath. "'Simple tastes,'" he repeated. "Yes, you put that well. That is definitely one way of describing it."

_Still, _he thought, _I'd rather it be something...real. A dinner is gone in an hour, but a ring remains forever, assuming Wright doesn't manage to lose it somewhere, which he probably will, now that I consider the matter seriously. A piece of jewelry is like a promise of permanence in an imperfect, impermanent world where nothing is ever as secure as it seems to be. _

The salesman handed Edgeworth the ring, and Edgeworth turned it over in his hands for a moment, examining it for any obvious scratches or imperfections.

"I'd like to have this engraved," he said after a moment. "Is that a service that you offer, here?"

By way of response, the salesman again turned and retrieved a small piece of paper from his desk.

"Write your message here," he instructed, pointing at the paper, "and we'll be happy to engrave it. For this piece, I'd suggest no more than four words."

_Four words, _thought Edgeworth. He had to consider the message for a moment before he bent over and begin writing on the little piece of paper.

While Edgeworth wrote, Trucy went back to looking around at the various cases of jewelry.

"Ooh," she exclaimed suddenly. "Look at this!"

Edgeworth turned to find Trucy gazing covetously at a little silver pendant, shaped inexplicably like a magician's hat.

"This is pretty," she said. "Look, it's just like my silk hat. That's so cool!"

"We'll get that pendant as well," Edgeworth informed the salesman, who nodded and walked over to retrieve it.

Trucy gasped. "Oh, no, Mr. Edgeworth, you don't have to do that! I was just looking! It's...it's really expensive!"

"Consider it a belated birthday present," he suggested, handing over his credit card. "After all, I believe that I have now missed your birthday on two separate occasions."

"You can come and pick up your ring tomorrow afternoon," The salesman informed Edgeworth, carefully wrapping up the pendant before placing it in a bag and handing it across the counter.

Edgeworth passed the ring to Trucy, who gazed down at it, excitement and doubt warring in her face.

"You know," she murmured after a moment, "if you're trying to buy my loyalty, Mr. Edgeworth, this isn't going to work. If Daddy asks you to go to the Renaissance Festival with us, I'm still going to say that I think it's a good idea."

Edgeworth inclined his head. "No doubt," he murmured. "Perhaps it's not your loyalty, that I am trying to buy."

"Huh?" Trucy blinked.

Edgeworth gestured at the ring display which the salesman was in the process of putting away.

"Rather," he said, "I hope to buy your silence about this little venture. We'll keep this present a secret between us, shall we?"

Slowly, Trucy grinned.

"Yeah," she assured him, nodding. "Oh, that's no problem. My lips are sealed!"

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Okay, so that prologue came out a little longer than I'd originally intended, but since it's the last update I can do this weekend, hopefully that'll be all right.

Yay! I'm excited to get started on this one!

Now, this document may be full of typos. I'm using a different word processor, and it's not working as well as I'd hoped. Please bear with me if you find a lot of errors. I will clean them up ASAP.


	42. Heel, Face, Turnabout - One

**Author's Note: **I tried to resist updating again, but I couldn't.

This is not good. I need more sleep than I'm letting myself get tonight. Starting tomorrow, I have three straight days of 9-hour street performances. I'm going to regret this…

* * *

**Chapter One: Believe In Me, Like I Believe in You**

**September 22**

**2:00 AM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

Edgeworth awoke blearily to the sound of his cell phone beating itself senseless as it vibrated halfway across the bedside table.

Shaking his head to try and clear his cloudy mind, he began to reach for the phone, only to discover that his right arm was tangled up in Phoenix who had haphazardly thrown both arms around Edgeworth's shoulders in his sleep, and now had his face pressed up against Edgeworth's back, his hair tickling the nape of Edgeworth's neck.

Phoenix was snoring gently, and Edgeworth hesitated, unwilling to wake him. Eventually, the phone stopped vibrating and lay still.

_I don't dare risk leaving it until the morning, _thought Edgeworth unhappily. _At this hour, the only person who would hazard a social call is Wright, and as the call couldn't have come from him, it was probably important. _

Carefully disentangling himself from Phoenix's embrace, Edgeworth swung his legs over the edge of the bed, sat up, retrieved the phone, and re-dialed the number without bothering to check the caller ID.

The phone only rang once before someone picked up on the other end of the line.

"Mr. Edgeworth," said the voice of Detective Ema Skye. "Um…sorry to call so late, or...um, early, actually."

Edgeworth frowned. Something was definitely wrong. Ema sounded…different, and unusually emotional. There was a strain in her voice that he didn't remember ever hearing there, before.

"It's no trouble, Detective," he assured her, getting up and quietly closing himself into the bathroom to try and avoid being overheard by Phoenix. "I assume this is an emergency. You may dispense with the formalities. What is it?"

There was a brief but incredibly tense silence before Ema spoke again. "There's been a murder," she said quietly. "At People Park. From eyewitness reports and indications at the scene, I can tell you right now that the crime happened between one and two AM...no more than an hour ago."

"I see," mumbled Edgeworth. "And the victim?"

Again, there was that pregnant pause.

"Detective Skye," snapped Edgeworth. "Are you still there?"

"Y-yeah," mumbled Ema. "I'm here. Um…the victim is Detective Gumshoe, sir."

_WHAT? _Edgeworth's mouth dropped open in shock, and for a moment, the world around him failed to make sense. "D-Detective…?"

"Detective Maggey Gumshoe," clarified Ema. "We still aren't sure what she was doing in the park at this hour, sir, but I have a team investigating as we speak."

_Maggey, _thought Edgeworth. For just a moment, he couldn't help but feel ever so slightly relieved, and then he was instantly disgusted with himself for being so callous. An image flashed suddenly through his brain of Gumshoe and Maggey, one year ago at their lovely wedding, dancing awkwardly across the reception hall together, clumsily and blissfully ignorant of everyone else in the room.

_I said things then that I shouldn't have said, _he thought, pointlessly and irrationally recalling the snide remarks he'd made to Phoenix about Gumshoe's gracelessness. _I…I should never have spoken. I wish I never had. _

"Mr. Edgeworth," Ema was saying on the other end of the line. "We'd all appreciate it if you could come down and give us a hand with the investigation."

_Of course, _thought Edgeworth, clearing his throat. "Has her husband been notified?"

"Detective Gumshoe, sir? No, we're getting ready to contact him, now," replied Ema.

Edgeworth frowned. "No need, Detective. I will go and see him myself. This news is no doubt better broken in person."

"Thank you, sir." Ema sounded slightly relieved. "I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

_I doubt it, _thought Edgeworth. _At a moment like this, I imagine that the good Detective will have little time for gratitude._

"Please," he instructed, "continue with your investigation. After I've spoken with Detective Gumshoe, I will of course join you at the crime scene."

"Wait," insisted Ema, as Edgeworth prepared to hang up the call. "Mr. Edgeworth, there's one more thing."

"Oh?" Edgeworth frowned. "What's that?"

"The…the eyewitness," began Ema. "Actually, there were three eyewitnesses, all taking a smoke break just outside the park entrance. They claim to have seen everything, including the killer's face."

"Hmph," muttered Edgeworth. "That's fortunate. Perhaps we'll be able to bring this perpetrator to justice with a minimum amount of hassle and delay. Who was it that these witnesses claim to have seen?"

Again, Ema hesitated for a long moment. "That's just it, sir," she said, sighing wearily. "Apparently, the killer was Mr. Iago Bleek. They say they watched him stab Detective Gumshoe three times with a pocket penknife, and then he allegedly used the penknife to write a note, which he left lying on the body. There are prints on the note, and we're running them now. The note, sir…the note just said 'BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME.'"

A horrible little cold chill shot down Edgeworth's spine.

"You remember, sir," Ema went on. "Iago Bleek is the man they tried this week for the murder of Darcy Dobler. Mr. Wright won him a complete acquittal just yesterday. He's been in all of the papers, so people recognize him, I guess."

"I remember," muttered Edgeworth. "Are you certain of his involvement in this crime?"

"No, sir, I'm not," reported Ema honestly. "I can only tell you what the witnesses said. As for the fingerprints, they'll probably help. I'll let you know what else science turns up in the meantime, of course."

"Of course," mumbled Edgeworth. "Y-yes, well. I'll…be seeing you very shortly, in that case, Detective. Do your best to control the chaos in my absence."

The call ended, and Edgeworth stood motionless in the darkened bathroom for several long moments after that, staring blankly at the phone in his hand.

_It's like a nightmare, _he thought. _Perhaps, if I close my eyes, I might yet wake up._

Eventually he opened the bathroom door and stepped back out into the bedroom, to find Phoenix sitting on the edge of the bed, wide-awake and watching him.

"Miles," asked Phoenix, "what's going on?"

"Ah," mumbled Edgeworth. "I'm sorry. I was hoping I wouldn't wake you."

"Don't worry about it," insisted Phoenix, shaking his head. "Are you all right? What was that phone call all about? Bad news?"

Edgeworth opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't find the right words. He thought about Maggey Gumshoe receiving her Detective's badge only a few weeks before at the station, while, Edgeworth, Phoenix, Maya and Gumshoe all looked on and applauded. He thought about the proud, flushed look on Dick Gumshoe's face several hours later, when they'd all been sitting at the bar drinking a few toasts to Maggey's future career. Gumshoe had been drunker than the others, and he'd kept saying over and over again that his Maggey was a brave, beautiful girl. He'd said it every chance he'd had, as loudly and boisterously as he could, until finally Maggey had excused them both and had driven him home to put him to bed.

Edgeworth remembered little, mild-mannered Iago Bleek, cowering in the witness-box and fidgeting with his reading glasses as Prosecutor Simon Blackquill had barraged him with question after question. He recalled the second day of the trial, when Phoenix had finally landed a point, successfully proving that Bleek couldn't possibly have ever handled the antique pistol that the prosecution had presented as the murder weapon. Everyone in the gallery had cheered. Even the judge had looked pleased.

"Miles," repeated Phoenix. "What's wrong? You look awful. Talk to me."

Edgeworth just shook his head, averting his eyes from Phoenix's face.

"It's nothing," he muttered. "There's been an incident, yes, but it's nothing for you to concern yourself with. Go back to sleep."

Phoenix frowned. "An incident, huh? What kind of 'incident?'"

Edgeworth sighed. "A murder," he admitted. "Of course, my presence has been requested at the scene. I don't know when I'll be back. You shouldn't wait."

Phoenix rubbed wearily at his temple with one finger. "Another murder? What kind of a city is this, anyway?" He shook his head. "Sheesh. Anybody we know?"

Edgeworth froze.

Phoenix, however, just yawned, closed his eyes, and relaxed back on to the bed.

_I don't think he was serious, _thought Edgeworth, scowling. _That kind of flippancy about a situation like this is almost criminal in itself._

"Oh, well," said Phoenix. "I'll probably see it on the nine o'clock news, anyway. I'd offer to come with you, but I guess nobody wants a defense attorney at a crime scene. I'd probably just be in the way."

"Y-yes," agreed Edgeworth, a little relieved. "Yes, no doubt you're better off remaining here. I'll see you this evening, I'm sure. Get some sleep, Nick."

Suddenly, Phoenix's eyes shot open.

"You never call me that," he told Edgeworth, pointing an accusing finger at him and suddenly looking much sharper and much more awake than he had before. "Something's really wrong, isn't it? What the hell is going on, Miles?"

"Nothing," insisted Edgeworth quickly, lying through his teeth and hating himself for it even as he said the words. "There's nothing for you to be worried about. It's the middle of the night, and I'm unsettled. That's all there is to it."

He leaned over to give Phoenix a quick kiss goodbye, but Phoenix reached up and wrapped his arms around Edgeworth's neck, pulling him into a far longer and deeper kiss than Edgeworth had anticipated.

"Mmm," mumbled Edgeworth, closing his eyes and wishing he could crawl back into bed and let himself believe that the last twenty minutes really had been nothing but a nightmare.

"I'm not going to the office, today," Phoenix said, releasing him, "so I'll be here when you get back."

"Good," replied Edgeworth, reluctantly tearing himself away from the bed and turning to unhook his suit from the closet door. "In that case, I'll see you soon. Sleep well in the meantime."

Phoenix rolled over on the bed, and Edgeworth dressed himself hurriedly in the silence that followed.

_That was foolish, _he told himself. _There's no benefit to trying to hide this. He's right. It will be on the nine o'clock news…and soon enough, he'll know everything. I can only hope that by the time the story breaks, we'll have turned up some new evidence that disproves the guilt of Iago Bleek. For the moment, I shall rest my hopes on the fingerprints that Ema mentioned. There's a good possibility, of course, that they belong to someone else. Witnesses frequently lie. Perhaps these 'eyewitnesses,' too, are lying. At this point, the possibilities are nauseatingly many and various. For the first time that I can remember, I find that thought comforting._

**Seven hours later, still in Phoenix's apartment…**

After walking Trucy over to school, Phoenix stopped for some early morning breakfast noodles at Eldoon's before returning to the apartment. By the time he got back, it was already almost nine o'clock.

Edgeworth apparently hadn't returned yet, so Phoenix settled in on the sofa and turned on the television.

_Okay, _he thought. _Time to find out what that phone call last night was all about. Let's see what gruesome crime you didn't want to tell me about, Miles. _

The news came on, and the anchor smiled woodenly out at the camera.

"Last night," he began, "sometime between 1:00 and 2:00 PM, tragedy struck our very own People Park when the still-warm body of a local police officer was found lying next to the park gate."

Phoenix winced. _A police officer? That's bad. Seems like brutality against the police has been on the rise, lately. Glad I'm not actually in law enforcement._

Frowning, he glanced at the clock, then at the apartment door, and thought, _I wonder if there's any chance of my convincing Edgeworth to take a vacation. He's technically law enforcement. Might not be a bad time to go out of town. _

"The victim," continued the news anchor "was Detective Maggey Gumshoe, only recently re-instated after several years of absence from the force."

Phoenix froze. _M-Maggey? No…no, not Maggey. Come on, that...that can't be. _

"Several young men who claim to have witnessed the crime have identified the killer as one Iago Bleek, a fifty-four year old vacuum-cleaner salesman originally from Philadelphia," said the anchor. "Bleek was recently accused and subsequently acquitted of the murder of Darcy Dobler, local grocery store clerk and grandmother of three. Accounts of his alleged involvement with Detective Gumshoe's murder have all of us asking the same question, of course; was Mr. Bleek really innocent, or was his acquittal merely the endgame of a well-contrived defense, presented by high-profile and popular defense attorney Phoenix Wright?"

Phoenix's mouth had gone dry, and he'd tensed up so much that the old injury in his back was beginning to twinge.

"No," he repeated aloud, shaking his head at the TV screen. "That's impossible. It's…it just can't be. Bleek couldn't have done it. He's not a killer. I proved he's not a killer in court, yesterday."

_Yes, _said an ugly little accusing voice in the back of his mind. _Yes...I proved it. _

"There's gotta be some kind of mistake," shouted Phoenix, jumping to his feet as the sweat began rolling down his spine. "Someone's lying. Something's not right! I don't believe it! Show me some evidence!"

Suddenly, the apartment door opened, and Phoenix spun around to find Maya standing in the doorway. Her hands were shaking, and her eyes were full of tears.

"N-Nick," she stammered. "M-Maggey, she…she's gone."

"Yeah," mumbled Phoenix helplessly, unsure what else there was to say." Yeah, I…I know. I just heard."

Sniffling loudly, Maya wiped the back of her hand across her face. "Poor Detective Gumshoe," she sobbed, before suddenly throwing her arms around Phoenix and burying her face in his chest. Phoenix held her there for a moment, letting her cry big wet, salty tears all over his shirt until she'd grieved enough to take a deep breath and collect herself.

"Nick," she whispered, dabbing uselessly at his soaking wet shirt with the sleeve of her training robes. "We…did we do this? Is this our fault?"

Phoenix felt like there was a lead weight pressing down on his heart. He could still remember Maggey's last words to him in the courthouse, and they rang mercilessly over and over again in his ears as he stared blankly at the top of Maya's head and the TV droned on in the background.

_Who knows, _he kept hearing Maggey say. _This time, I might get lucky!_

"Nick," insisted Maya desperately.

Phoenix shook his head. "You didn't do anything," he assured her. "None of this is your fault. All you did, Maya, was channel a spirit. You assisted with the trial proceedings. You aren't responsible for the verdict or the consequences."

"Then…you think he did it?" Maya's eyes were wide. "You think Mr. Bleek really killed her?"

Phoenix wanted to reassure her, but the lump in his throat kept getting in the way.

"If you believe in him, Nick, then I believe in him, too, "Maya went on, sniffling staunchly and straightening up. "If you say he's not a murderer, then he isn't, and that's that. Somebody else must have done it, only they haven't figured out who, yet, because the evidence is confusing. Maybe Mr. Bleek was in that park feeding the pigeons, or something, or maybe someone was dressed up just like him because they'd seen his face in the paper. Or, uh, maybe those three witnesses actually killed Maggey themselves and are just lying to cover it up! That kind of thing happens all the time!"

Phoenix tried to take some comfort in that.

_She's right, _he thought. _We've seen all of those things in various trials, over the years. There's absolutely no reason to assume that Bleek did it, no matter what those witnesses say. I can't let myself lose it. I have to believe in my client. _

For a few moments, that thought really did buoy Phoenix's confidence, and he he took a deep breath, forcing himself to get a grip and to silence the accusing voices that kept echoing around in his head.

_Still, _thought a tiny part of him that he couldn't quite seem to quiet, _I'm only human, no matter what Athena says. Humans like me make mistakes. What if I'm wrong? _

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

Dun dun dun DUN.


	43. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Two

**Author's Note: **Oh dear, I can see that I certainly did make some of you upset with the events of that last chapter. I'm afraid it was inevitable.

You can put the tissue box away for a little while, though. Everybody's safe, for the moment. I promise.

For some reason, this chapter proved really, really hard to write. It's been several days, so I have to post it. I hope this version is at least satisfactory.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Hold On (Cause This is Gonna Hurt Like Hell)**

**September 22**

**10:00 AM**

**Entrance to People Park**

Phoenix and Maya arrived an hour later at People Park to find a hoard of policemen busily swarming over the crime scene in the midst of their investigation. Detective Ema Skye was there, and so were several other officers who Phoenix recognized from previous cases. One person, however, was conspicuously absent.

"Hey," asked Maya, "Where's Detective Gumshoe?"

_Good question, _thought Phoenix, frowning. _I don't see him anywhere. You'd think he'd have been the first one on the scene…_

Athena was already there, arguing animatedly with a frazzled-looking young male police officer. When she caught sight of Maya and Phoenix she cast one last irritated glance at the officer before hurrying over to join them.

"Mr. Edgeworth sent Detective Gumshoe home," she informed them, shaking her head. "He was here just now, but Mr. Edgeworth said that the investigation didn't need him. One of the other officers drove him back to the station, I guess."

Maya blinked. "Huh?"

"I had no choice," announced Edgeworth, stepping out from behind the large park dumpster and brushing impatiently at the grime on his jacket sleeves. "He was obviously distraught, and subsequently far too irrational to assist with the investigation. I recommended that he be excused from duty and the Chief of Police agreed."

Phoenix just stared. _Irrational? The man's wife was just murdered. You can't really expect anyone to be rational under those circumstances. _

"He was crying," mumbled Athena, unhappily playing with her ponytail. "He just…sat there on the ground next to the body and sobbed like a little kid until some of the other police officers took Maggey away. Mr. Wright, it was awful."

Phoenix swallowed hard and tried not to imagine poor, desperate, bereft Detective Gumshoe watching his brother officers wheeling away the corpse of what had once been his brave, beautiful girl.

"You see," murmured Edgeworth. "He was in no state."

"You can't be serious," muttered Phoenix. "You wouldn't let him investigate? That's a little cold, Miles, even for you."

Edgeworth winced. "Say what you will," he countered solemnly. "My job is to ensure that this investigation proceeds as smoothly as possible, and that we successfully apprehend and convict the murderer of Detective Maggey Gumshoe. I can't allow for any hindrances to that investigation, and I'm certain that Detective Gumshoe himself understands that better than most. No doubt he wants the murderer caught far more than any man on Earth. He made no argument."

_I'll bet he didn't, _thought Phoenix bitterly. _Poor guy probably didn't have any fight left in him. Then again…maybe that's sort of the point. Maybe Edgeworth's right. I guess he couldn't have been much use, and that'd only have made him more depressed. _

Two police officers were talking quietly together on the other side of the fence. Abandoning Edgeworth, Phoenix went over to them.

"So," he asked, "what did you find?"

For a moment, the two officers looked uncertainly at one another.

"It's all right," announced Edgeworth, joining them. "You have my permission."

"W-well, sir," mumbled one of the officers, a tall man with a little blue-black mustache, "it looks like that guy Bleek did it, all right. He killed her, and there are traces of him all over the place. His fingerprints are on the note that we found on her body, and there's some of his blood on her sleeve. Looks like Detective Maggey put up a pretty good fight."

His fellow officer sniffled audibly.

"He left a couple of footprints in the mud, here, too," went on the officer with the mustache. "Actually, there's a little too much evidence lying around. Kinda weird. It's almost like the guy wanted us to figure out that he did it."

Phoenix perked up a little bit at that. "Too much evidence, huh? Do you think someone might be trying to frame him?"

The two officers exchanged a dubious look.

"Frame him, sir? Not likely." The mustached officer shrugged. "Not unless somebody got a hold of Bleek's boots, his fingers and his blood. You can't plant that kind of stuff at the scene. It's pretty conclusive. That kind of proof doesn't lie."

Phoenix shook his head. "Of course it does," he insisted. "It lies all the time. I've seen hundreds of cases where bloodstains turn out to be ketchup, or-!"

"Uh, sir, this isn't ketchup," muttered the officer. "It's definitely blood. Bleek's blood. We've, uh, run tests, and everything.

"Right," mumbled Phoenix. "I mean, I know that. It was just an example. Anyway, fingerprints and footprints don't always mean what we think they do. Evidence can be misleading."

"If you say so, sir." The police officer shrugged. "Seems like a pretty clear-cut case, if you ask me."

Phoenix gave up on the policeman and turned on Edgeworth. "What do you think? Do you think Bleek did it?"

Edgeworth coughed. "Wright," he muttered warningly.

_Don't you 'Wright' me, _thought Phoenix, frowning. "Answer the question, Miles Do you think that Iago Bleek murdered Detective Maggey Gumshoe?"

Edgeworth hesitated, then shrugged and cleared his throat. "Very well, then. If you insist on it, then yes, I have every reason to believe that Bleek is the murderer. All the evidence points very clearly in that direction. I'd be a fool at this point to ignore the evidence, no matter what I'd prefer to believe. I am not a fool, Wright, and neither are you."

Phoenix's heart sank.

"I'll prove it to you," he muttered desperately. "I'll prove to you in court that Bleek's not a killer."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," retorted Edgeworth. "You will no longer be permitted to serve as Mr. Bleek's defense attorney."

"Wh-what?" Phoenix gaped. "Why not?"

"Because," said Edgeworth, "I have decided to personally prosecute this case, and as per our understanding, Wright, that fact precludes you from serving as defense. If you'll recall, we made an agreement that in the interests of justice and fair conduct we would never act opposite one another again in a court of law. I expect you to honor that agreement."

Startled, Phoenix opened his mouth to protest, but no sound came out.

"Secondly," Edgeworth continued, holding up two fingers, "no one is either prosecuting or defending Mr. Bleek at this moment, as Mr. Bleek himself is nowhere to be found. He isn't at home, and we've been unable to contact him by any means."

"Yeah," agreed the mustached police officer. "Looks like the guy's on the run."

"No." Phoenix buried his face in his hands. "This…this can't be happening."

For a moment, he, Maya, and Edgeworth all stood in uncomfortable silence while the various police officers returned to their work.

_There has to be another explanation, _thought Phoenix, his mind racing as sweat bean pooling on his forehead. _Maybe he's not running. Maybe his cell phone's dead. Maybe he's visiting his sister in Philadelphia. There are a hundred things that could have happened, here. So, he left a few bloodstains, somehow. That doesn't mean anything. It's no reason to start jumping to conclusions!_

He felt sick, and his own assurances rang hollow in his head. Other officers were staring, now, pointing and him and whispering to each other under their breaths.

"I believe I'm done here, for the time being," said Edgeworth . "I have some follow-up work to complete at the prosecutor's office, but it will wait until tomorrow. Come on, Wright. I'll take you home."

Phoenix wanted to protest, but couldn't think of anything more to say. That lead weight had settled into the pit of his stomach again, and suddenly he couldn't find the energy to put up any more of a fight. He let Edgeworth take him by the shoulder and steer him past the chalk outline, past the huddle of miserable police officers and towards Edgeworth's orange sportscar.

"Miss Cykes," said Edgeworth over his shoulder, nodding at Athena. "You and Miss Fey aren't likely to learn any more at the moment. I suggest that you both return home."

"But-!" Maya planted both hands on her hips.

"This is a crime scene," interrupted Edgeworth sternly. "The general public is far from welcome. I have no intention of asking that the police escort you from the premises, but I suggest that you leave on your own before the Chief of Police arrives and demands that you, too, be taken in for questioning as suspicious loiterers."

Athena's eyes narrowed and she looked like she was going to say something, but Maya took the hint.

"Come on, Athena," she said, shaking her head and giving Edgeworth a defiant little look. "Let's just go. We can come back and do some real investigating on our own, later."

Refusing to rise to the bait, Edgeworth completely ignored her and continued guiding Phoenix firmly towards the car. When they arrived, he gallantly opened the door, as always, and Phoenix slumped into the passenger seat.

"You look terrible," remarked Edgeworth as they pulled away from the curb. "You're pale. No doubt you haven't eaten. We'll stop for lunch."

Phoenix just shook his head. "Forget it," he muttered. I'm not hungry."

"Nonsense," retorted Edgeworth. "Neglecting your own needs serves no purpose. It won't bring her back, and it won't absolve you of your misplaced guilt."

Phoenix flinched. "Is it just me, or are you especially blunt and robotic today? I said, I'm not hungry."

Edgeworth sighed, and for a moment, they drove on in silence.

Eventually, Phoenix turned to look at Edgeworth, and found that Edgeworth's eyes were more bloodshot than he'd realized, and that Edgeworth, too, was looking just a bit pale.

"You're tired," said Phoenix.

Edgeworth nodded. "Yes," he admitted quietly. "I'm exhausted. It has been a difficult morning. The wife of a close associate has been murdered. Robotic as you may find me, you surely don't think that I haven't been deeply affected. It was I who first informed Gumshoe of his wife's death, and I was on hand when he encountered the body for the first time. He was like a lost and wounded child, Phoenix, whimpering and clutching at her hands. It was a disturbing moment. It has, of course, been a morning full of disturbing moments."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _That's one way of putting it. _

Your irrational behavior is not improving my mood," added Edgeworth.

"Uh…sorry." Suddenly, Phoenix was ashamed of himself. "I...well, I shouldn't have said-!"

"It doesn't matter," muttered Edgeworth, shaking his head. "I suppose it's understandable, under the circumstances. None of us are at our best. We'll have to forgive one another, and ourselves."

A muscle in Edgeworth's cheek twitched, the way it always did when he was fighting off some strong upswell of emotion.

Phoenix reached out and covered Edgeworth's hand with his.

"I'll need that when we turn the corner," Edgeworth warned him, but he didn't pull his hand away.

They drove past the high school where Trucy, hopefully, was still in class. Phoenix wondered if she'd already heard about Maggey's death from any of her friends, or if maybe she'd read the news story on her cell phone.

_What am I going to tell her, _he thought, _when she asks about Bleek? What will she say to the other kids when they start whispering that her father's as good as a murderer?_

"There's a very significant point that you obviously haven't considered," remarked Edgeworth, his eyes still on the road.

"Huh?" Phoenix frowned. "What point?"

"You don't seem to have realized," replied Edgeworth, "that the murder of Darcy Dobler and the murder of Maggey Gumshoe are potentially two separate and isolated incidents. Even if Iago Bleek is guilty of the second murder, that does not make him guilty of the first. No doubt his first acquittal was justified, in which case you have nothing whatsoever to be ashamed of."

Phoenix just shook his head miserably. "I'd like to believe that," he said. "Still, if it hadn't been for me, they'd have locked Bleek up. If I hadn't gotten him acquitted, he'd never have been able to kill anyone else."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "You know perfectly well that justice doesn't work that way. We can't possibly have convicted him for a crime he had yet to commit. You had no choice but to prove an innocent man innocent, regardless of any future murders he may have been destined to plan."

_Well, yeah, _thought Phoenix. _Still, all the justice in the world can't clear a guilty conscience. Intentions don't matter much in a court of law. Sure, I had the right idea, and I meant well, but what the hell does that prove? She's still dead, and if it weren't for my best attempts at 'justice' then maybe it would never have happened. You can't pretend that isn't true. I wish I could. _

"W-well," insisted Phoenix, rallying himself for one last attempt at optimism, "We aren't certain that Bleek did it. Nothing's been proven, exactly, no matter what the evidence says. There might still be something we're overlooking, or some clue we still have to find. It's not over, yet."

Edgeworth skidded abruptly to a stop, scowling as a pedestrian made an illegal dash across the street in front of them.

"Phoenix," he said. "I'd like you to do something for me."

Phoenix tried to shake himself out of his miserable and self-pitying reverie. "What?'

Edgeworth glanced over at him for a brief moment before turning his attention back to the road. "I'd like you to stay away from this investigation. There's no need for you to pursue it any farther."

Phoenix just shrugged."You know I can't do that," he insisted. "This is…well, this is personal."

"And that," returned Edgeworth, "is exactly why I am seriously requesting that you abandon it. Nothing is more painful than the deeply personal."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix, _but you can't just run away because something hurts. That's not how life works, Miles._

"A few months ago," continued Edgeworth, slipping his hand out from under Phoenix's to grip the wheel as they finally did turn the corner, "you jokingly instructed me to keep an eye on you. If I recall correctly, you made the argument that if I remained by your side, I'd be more effectively placed to prevent you from letting your emotion get the better of your judgment, as you so often do. It seems that I've upheld my end of the bargain; I stayed. I therefore have no intention of abandoning you now to a fit of irrationally self-destructive guilt."

"Hey," began Phoenix. "I'm not-!"

"I'm not finished," interrupted Edgeworth. "Personal or not, this investigation doesn't fall within your purview as a defense attorney. As Chief Prosecutor, it is my job to apprehend and convict Detective Gumshoe's murderer, and I promise you that I will do exactly that. I won't rest until I've discovered the truth of this matter and forced the criminal to pay the price. Please remember that you aren't the only one for whom this case holds a personal significance."

Edgeworth's cheek was now twitching spasmodically. He cleared his throat, paused, and then carefully replaced his hand on top of Phoenix's.

"You've often asked me to trust you," he said quietly. "Now, I ask you to trust me. Let this go."

Phoenix wasn't sure what to say. _I…I trust you, _he thought. _I mean, of course I trust you. It's just…it's not that simple. _

Edgeworth switched on the car radio and lovely, lilting classic music began drifting out of the car speakers.

Neither of them spoke again until they'd reached the parking lot of Phoenix's apartment complex.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's Endnote:**

I have to go to bed, but I think that all of the rewrites actually really improved this chapter. I'm quite pleased with how I edited it.

And now, sleep and work. I hope you enjoy. :)


	44. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Three

**Author's Note: **I solemnly swear that I will make fewer typos in this chapter.

At least, I'll try.

* * *

**Chapter Three: Let Your Love Lift Me Up – Part One**

**September 25, 2029**

**2:00 PM**

**The Money and Sons Funeral Home**

The next several days were tedious, frustrating, and unpleasant in a number of ways. Despite concerted efforts by Edgeworth and the rest of the investigation team, very little progress seemed to be made, and there was still no sign of the elusive alleged murderer, Iago Bleek.

Maggey's funeral took place that Friday morning and Edgeworth was, of course, in attendance, standing silently by Gumshoe's side in the front row of pews, offering what little stoic support he could while both Gumshoe and Maggey's parents wept openly over the casket.

Edgeworth hated funerals, and he always had. He felt that there was something unnatural about them.

_Grief is far too personal for this forcedly public setting, _he thought with some distaste, as members of Maggey's family stepped forward and lifted the casket up onto their shoulders. _The things we say never seem sufficient, and the pain we feel isn't meant for expostulation. This is nothing but a preposterous performance of mourning, a placeholder for the things we wish we could express but are incapable of putting into words. It's an inadequate source of the artificial closure that we promise ourselves when we suffer a loss. I suppose, however, that's human nature. We require that same closure to forge the ending from which we hope to begin again. Without it, there's no moving forward. It's a feeling I'm not unfamiliar with, and yet, it's hard to reconcile on a rational level. Perhaps Phoenix is right. Perhaps there's no point in trying to rationalize the act of grieving. _

Unexpectedly, Phoenix didn't seem to have shown up to the funeral. Edgeworth had seen Maya, Athena, Apollo and Ema over the course of the morning, but Phoenix himself had yet to make an appearance.

_He's hiding, no doubt, _thought Edgeworth, scowling to himself. _Very likely he's ashamed of showing his face at the funeral of a woman whose death he feels himself responsible for. The notion is a ridiculous one. There's nothing at all for him to be ashamed of. I've tried to explain that, but I might as well have saved my breath. Trying to get that man to listen to reason is a Sisyphusian enough effort when he's at his best, which he certainly isn't at the moment. _

Later, when it was all over and the procession towards the cemetery had begun, Edgeworth left the funeral in his car, still thinking unhappily about Phoenix. He could just picture Phoenix sitting all alone in his otherwise empty office, miserably watching every consecutive news program and feeling sorry for himself while he downed glasses of grape juice and whatever was left of last night's salty Eldoon's.

He tried calling Phoenix's cell, but no one picked up.

_He's not doing himself any good like this, _thought Edgeworth, frustrated. _He'd be better off focusing his energies, elsewhere. It would be best if he could begin work on something else; perhaps on behalf of a new client. Rewarding work would make an excellent distraction, although as I understand it he is currently suffering from a lack of new cases. In a city like this, you'd think there would be no shortage of alleged murderers to defend, and yet somehow, when we most require them, desperate, wealthy and dubiously innocent men always fail to turn up._

As he slowed down to a stop behind a line of cars at the light, Edgeworth glanced idly out the window to see that he was just passing the jeweler's shop where only a few short days ago he'd purchased presents for both members of the Wright family. The newly-engraved ring was now resting comfortably in his pocket, hidden in the folds of a little black velvet bag.

_It hardly seems an appropriate time for gift-giving, _thought Edgeworth, frowning to himself as he reached into his pocket to finger the smooth metal of the ring. _Still, maybe work isn't the only potential means of distraction. A little recreation might not be a bad idea, either._

Edgeworth remembered the way that Trucy's eyes had lit up when he'd mentioned his one and only reluctant trip to the California Renaissance Festival.

The light turned green again, and after a split-second's consideration, Edgeworth turned right in the direction of the Wright Anything Agency.

_It's amazing, _he thought, sighing, _the things that we do in the name of love. No, perhaps the word I'm looking for isn't 'amazing,' but 'rather appalling.'_

**Meanwhile, just outside People Park…**

After spending most of the morning alone at his desk reading over old notes from the Iago Bleek trial, Phoenix finally found that he couldn't force himself to stare at the computer screen any longer. He got up and went out of the office for a walk, distractedly stretching his legs with no real plan of where he wanted to end up.

It was no surprise, of course, when his idle steps brought him all the way to People Park. For some reason the crime scene was deserted and none of the usual policemen were standing guard.

_I guess it doesn't matter anymore if anybody disturbs the scene, _thought Phoenix. _After three days, they've probably gathered all the evidence they need. Still, it's an active case. Nobody's managed to find or get in touch with Bleek, yet, as far as I know. I've tried to call him myself a few times, but I haven't had any luck. Maybe it's true, after all. Maybe he really is 'on the run.'_

The chalk outline where Maggey's body had lain was still partially visible on the pavement at the park entrance. Phoenix bent down to examine it, not entirely sure what he was looking for, but half-hoping that there might still be some little unnoticed clue tucked away somewhere, like a scrap of the murderer's clothing or an abandoned cigarette butt.

_This is crazy, _he told himself after a moment of groping around and coming up empty-handed. _What am I doing? _

Suddenly, he heard heavy footsteps on the pavement behind him. Jumping to his feet, he spun around to find Detective Dick Gumshoe standing there, staring sadly down at the chalk outline.

"Oh," said Gumshoe simply. "Hey, pal. Guess I sorta figured I'd find you here."

Phoenix swallowed. Gumshoe looked like a shadow of the man he'd been, pale and defeated with his hair uncombed and huge dark circles under his eyes. Somehow he was managing to sag and slump even more than usual, but this time the awkward, lopsided figure he cut was tragic instead of comic.

"Uh," muttered Phoenix uncertainly. "D-Detective Gumshoe. I…I'm so sorry for your loss."

It came out sounding trite and insufficient, but Gumshoe just nodded slowly, still not quite meeting Phoenix's eyes.

"Thanks," he mumbled. "We missed you at the funeral. I was sorta hoping maybe you'd play the piano. Maggey was always pretty impressed with the way you were learning to play. She said you were getting better all the time. Said she wanted to take lessons too, one of these days."

_Huh? _Phoenix blinked. _The funeral? Wait, was...was that today? No way! I can't have missed it, can I? _

"I…I completely forgot," he mumbled helplessly. "N-no, wait, I don't mean it like that. I mean, I didn't forget, I just, uh...I got distracted. I was distracted by the case, and I just…I sort of lost track of time."

_I sound like an asshole, _realized Phoenix, wincing. _What's wrong with me? What kind of a person forgets to show up at a funeral? Snap out of it, Phoenix!_

Gumshoe just shook his head. "Nah," he insisted, "it's okay, pal. I get it. Honestly, I'd have rather been here, too. I hate funerals. Uh, they kind of give me the creeps. That kind of spirit stuff always does. My Maggey always said I was just a big ol' scaredy cat. Ho...ho ho."

He laughed, but it was a hollow, mirthless little laugh, nothing like his usual big, booming guffaw.

"A-anyway," he mumbled, "Maggey would have understood. She was always pretty single-minded about her work, too, and she was late for stuff all the time. She used to give me a hard time about having a bad memory, but I guess hers was just as bad. Wouldn't have dared tell her that, though. She'd have given me that look of hers if I had." He smiled sadly, and something twisted painfully a bit farther into Phoenix's already aching heart.

"I…I'm sorry," repeated Phoenix, running his hands through his hair and feeling miserable. "Dick, I'm so, so sorry. I never meant-!"

"Save it, pal," interrupted Gumshoe. "You got nothing to be sorry for."

Phoenix shook his head. "No," he insisted. "I do. You know I'm the one that-!"

"You're the one that did your job," said Gumshoe, suddenly sharper and a little more assertive than Phoenix was used to. "I had a feeling you'd be beating yourself up about this, pal. Guess I was right. Look, this isn't your fault, and we both know it. I know my Maggey, and she wouldn't have wanted you blaming yourself. If you'd have asked her, she'd have said that she was just unlucky. Maybe she was right all along about that, I dunno. Either way, what's done is awful, but it's done. You didn't have anything to do with it, and that's that."

For a moment, Phoenix was startled into silence. Gumshoe just shrugged, kicked idly at the edge of the fence, and fidgeted with the collar of his disgusting old overcoat.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Maybe I got a little carried away, there. Didn't mean to be rude. Maybe I'm just a little tired."

_Rude? _Phoenix blinked. _You…you have no idea how much I wanted to hear those words. I thought you'd be furious. I thought you'd hate me. If you can forgive me, then maybe, just maybe I can start trying to forgive myself. _

"So, you're investigating this case," announced Gumshoe suddenly. "You are, aren't you, pal?"

"Me? Well…not officially," admitted Phoenix.

"Nah, not officially," agreed Gumshoe. "Officially, neither am I."

_That's right, _remembered Phoenix. _Edgeworth took Gumshoe off the case, didn't he?_

"Still," mused Gumshoe thoughtfully, "I watch those cop shows on TV sometimes, and Maggey used to read those girly crime novels. In those shows and books, every time some poor sap gets thrown off the squad and has to investigate 'unofficially,' he ends up being the only guy who's able to figure out the truth. I figure there's a lot that you can find, investigating unofficially. If you're unofficial, you don't have so many rules to follow. Maybe that makes it easier. You'd know better than me, I guess."

_I don't know about that, _thought Phoenix. _A little official help is never a bad thing. It's not like I actually enjoy sneaking around and having to find alternate routes through all the red tape. I mean, if I had my choice I'd love to have somebody with a badge on my side. _

"Just, uh, promise me one thing," said Gumshoe, frowning. "If you do find anything, pal, come and tell me what it is, all right? Maybe you don't owe me much, but-!"

"If I do learn anything, you'll be the first to know," Phoenix assured him. "I owe you plenty, Detective, but even if I didn't, I think you've got a right to know."

For a brief moment, Gumshoe looked almost pleased.

"Great,' he muttered. "That's great. Uh…look, I really appreciate it."

They stood awkwardly across from each other on either side of the chalk outline for just a moment longer. Gumshoe shuffled his feet and uncomfortably cleared his throat.

"I gotta get going," he said, jerking his head over his shoulder at the car. "I got guests at the house."

"Right," agreed Phoenix. "Yeah…I'm sure you do."

Gumshoe nodded and turned away.

"Hey," he called over his shoulder as he started back towards the car. "If you see Mr. Edgeworth, tell him thanks for the flowers, would you? Maggey would have really liked those nice purples ones, I think. I mean, she was more of a sunflower and daisy kind of girl, but I think she would have liked the gesture, anyway."

Phoenix nodded. "I'll tell him."

"Good." Gumshoe nodded again, then hesitated a moment and rubbed a hand nervously across the back of his neck.

"Uh, look, pal," he added in a slightly lower voice. "Don't, uh, tell Mr. Edgeworth that I was here today, okay? Not that I'm exactly ashamed of it, or anything, and you know I'd never do anything to make Mr. Edgeworth's life more difficult, but-!"

"I understand," Phoenix assured him. "Don't worry. Your secret…well, our secret is safe with me."

Gumshoe looked relieved.

"Great," he mumbled again."Knew I could count on you."

Finally, he turned and climbed into the front seat of his beat-up old squad car. Phoenix watched Detective Gumshoe force the car back into the flow of traffic, eliciting several angry honks from other drivers as he sped off down the street.

_I guess even Gumshoe can be a rebel when it really matters, _thought Phoenix, nodding to himself. _Cop shows, huh? Somehow, I never thought he was the type to get into those kinds of TV melodramas._

Somehow, his heart felt just a little bit lighter than it had before, despite the haunted, anguished look that had been lingering in the back of the good Detective's eyes.

_Good old Gumshoe, _thought Phoenix, with a mixture of affection and sadness. _Always playing the hapless hero. _

Glancing down at his watch, he discovered that it was already almost three o'clock.

_Trucy's probably out of school by now, _he realized. _I'd better get back to the office._

He retraced his steps back from the park, through the pre-rush hour streets and up the steps of the Wright Anything Agency offices. The lights that he'd turned off when he'd stepped out were all on again, and when he opened the door he found Trucy seated on the sofa in the foyer, leafing through one of the purple binders that she'd covered with glittering stickers shaped like diamonds, hearts, clubs and spades.

As soon as she saw him, Trucy jumped eagerly to her feet. "Daddy! You're back!"

"Yeah," said Phoenix, leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "How was school?"

"Oh, um, school was fine." Trucy waved an impatient hand. "But that's not important right now. Listen, this is really great; Mr. Edgeworth says that he's going to take us to a Renaissance Faire!"

_He...wait, what? _Phoenix blinked.

"Sorry," he said, "but I think you've lost me. What's this about a fair?"

"It's only an idea," said Edgeworth, stepping around the door of Phoenix's private office. "In light of recent events, I thought that a little relaxation might be good for all of us, assuming that you can spare the time."

Phoenix thought that Edgeworth looked about as worn out as Phoenix felt.

"Isn't it great, Daddy?" Trucy was clearly ecstatic. "I've always wanted to go to a Renaissance festival! It looks like so much fun! I want to get dressed up, too, and I hear that they have tons of street magic shows and illusionists performing, there. We don't have any cases right now, so there's no reason why we can't go, right?"

"Phoenix frowned. "Are you sure? I mean, yeah, I'm pretty much free, but aren't you too busy with the Gumshoe case?"

_Technically, _he thought, _so am I. I did sort of promise Detective Gumshoe that I'd investigate, even if that's not exactly what I said in so many words. This doesn't exactly seem like the right time for either of us to take a vacation day. Somehow, a vacation at a time like this just seems...well, selfish and wrong. Poor Gumshoe doesn't get a vacation. This is his life, now. _

"Look," he began, turning apologetically to Edgeworth. "It's, uh, a nice offer, really, but I don't think-!"

"Phoenix." Edgeworth gave him a serious look. "You're a mess. You don't sleep. You're overworking and driving yourself to futile levels of miserable distraction, and to no real purpose."

_Hey, that's not fair, _thought Phoenix, frowning. _There's plenty of purpose. I'm not-!_

"Indulge me," murmured Edgeworth, shrugging. "If nothing else, accompany us both for Trucy's sake."

Phoenix glanced at Trucy, and she beamed hopefully back at him.

"Come on, Daddy," she insisted. "It'll be fun! We could all use a little bit of fun, don't you think?"

_Well, yeah, _thought Phoenix. _Sure, I guess it does sound like fun, but..._

"No offense," he said, "but, Miles, I didn't have you pegged as a festival kind of guy. I'm having a hard time picturing it. You're miserable in big crowds, and it makes you uncomfortable when other people touch your food. You're not going to enjoy this much."

Edgeworth sighed. "You're not wrong. Admittedly I find the whole concept of costumed characters and meat on sticks rather ludicrous, but your daughter is more than enthusiastic enough for both of us. If you think you might enjoy it, I can probably endure it."

"Please, Daddy?" Trucy was now looking at him with her very best puppy-dog eyes. "Mr. Edgeworth's right. We really could all use a break. It'll be good for you to get out of the office for a bit! I'm sure Athena and Apollo won't mind covering for you, just for one day, and I bet Maya will come with us if we ask her!"

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _Yeah, I bet Maya would love this kind of thing. She'd probably get really into it, too._

Trucy was still staring at him, and Phoenix was having a hard time coming up with a good reason to refuse her.

_Trucy doesn't have anything to do with this mess, _he reminded himself. _We've all been so gloomy lately that it's probably driving her insane. It wouldn't be fair to make her miss out, and maybe one day to relax wouldn't be such a bad thing. _

"Well," he said, shrugging, "I mean...I'm not actually against it. If you're sure you won't hate it too much, Miles, then...I guess I'm in."

Trucy squeaked with delight. "Hooray! No, Huzzah! I'll call Maya right now!"

Phoenix turned back to Edgeworth, who now had a very strange expression on his face. The muscle in his cheek was twitching again, and he couldn't seem to decide if he wanted to look pleased or vaguely horrified.

"You...aren't actually going to be miserable," hazarded Phoenix. "Right?'

Edgeworth coughed.

"Of course not," he muttered, shaking his head and clearly doing his best to look less dubious than he felt. "I'm the certain that the experience will be, ah, a very entertaining one for all of us."

Trucy grinned. Edgeworth did his best not to scowl at her.

Watching the two of them, Phoenix suddenly felt more relaxed and at home than he had in several days.

"Yeah," he said, sinking onto the sofa next to Trucy and putting an arm around her. "You know, I think this might actually be a really good idea."

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

So, we are going to a Renaissance Festival! Huzzah! I am so, so looking forward to writing the next chapter. (After all it is that season! September and October are Ren Faire months in a lot of states!)

Oh, but I think it's time for a reader response question:

**QUESTION:**

What's another fun/interesting/exciting/terrible thing that Phoenix and Edgeworth could do, or a place that they could go to help them relax?

I want to hear your craziest and most fun ideas. The best idea will become an extra one-shot in this story collection, or maybe even a chapter or set of chapters!

Let's lighten things up a bit. :) I think we all need it (characters, author, and readers included.)

Looking forward to hearing your ideas!


	45. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Four

**Author's Note: **So, judging by the comments on that last chapter, I'm noticing that m any of you have never been to a Renaissance Festival before! That…well, that isn't weird, honestly. Actually, Ren faires themselves are pretty weird.

For those of you who have never been, or aren't even sure exactly what a Renaissance festival is, I encourage you to go check out my tumblr! I've just posted a bunch of reference information, like a link to a popular ren faire website, pictures of the costumes that our characters are wearing in this chapter, and a few other goodies. It might help you immerse yourself better in the world of the story, or something.

Remember, that tumblr address is arimoriarty . tumblr . com.

* * *

**Chapter Four: Let Your Love Lift Me Up – Part Two**

**September 26, 2029**

**10:00 AM**

**The California Renaissance Festival**

Phoenix, Trucy, Edgeworth and Maya all piled into Edgeworth's car around seven o'clock the next morning. It took almost two hours to get to the festival grounds, and Phoenix could feel himself nodding off a couple of times, lulled by the motion and by a huge sleep deficit. He was only half-awake when they turned the corner on to a long and winding dirt road, following a sign with a large white arrow on it, which declared briefly, "Cali Ren Fest – 1 Mile."

"Ah," murmured Edgeworth. "I believe this is it."

Trucy gasped, and Maya squealed with delight from the backseat.

"Nick," she exclaimed, "it's perfect! Look, look!"

Phoenix yawned, opened his eyes, and looked.

They were driving slowly past a field in which a surprisingly large number of cars and vans were already parked. To the right was a large stone arch, next to which stood a wooden sign emblazoned with the words "CALIFORNIA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL – WELCOME, ALL YE GENTLES" in stark bold and old-style print.

"Oooh," breathed Maya excitedly. "Even the signs are in renaissance-speak! Do you think I should read that in an English accent? Maybe it sounds better in an English accent."

Edgeworth coughed. "I don't feel that's necessary."

Behind the stone archway, Phoenix could just barely make out the tops of some very impressive-looking buildings, some of which were complete with towers and turrets, just like the castles one might find in children's paintings of fairytales.

"Sheesh," he muttered, surprised. "Wait, I thought this place was only open for two months out of the year. It seems…kind of elaborate, don't you think?"

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth. "It is a bit unnecessarily extravagant. As I understand it, these festivals have quite a devoted following amongst certain groups of people. One might even call it a sort of subculture."

"Wow, Mr. Edgeworth," said Maya, sounding impressed. "You sure know a lot about this stuff."

"Oh, Mr. Edgeworth's been to a Renaissance festival before," Trucy explained.

"Huh?" Really?" Maya blinked. "Wait, then are you a 'devoted fan,' too? Are you a part of that nerdy 'subculture?'"

Edgeworth scowled. "Certainly not."

Maya, however, didn't seem to be listening. "I guess it's not actually that surprising, if you think about it," she mused. "I mean, those suits you wear are kind of…well, uh, old school? No, no, that's not what I meant. I mean, you dress kind of like you're living in the medieval times. You wear all those ruffles and pleats, and…you know, girly stuff for guys, like they wear in all those pictures of ancient times."

_Huh, _thought Phoenix, frowning thoughtfully at Edgeworth's cravat. _You know, I'd never really thought about it before, but, now that she mentions it…yeah, I can see that. He's a man out of time. Born in the wrong era, maybe. _

Edgeworth cleared his throat, keeping his eyes on the road. His ears had gone slightly pink.

"I-if you're all finished analyzing my wardrobe," he muttered, "then perhaps you'd be willing to help me look for a parking spot."

They drove around for several minutes until they finally found an unoccupied spot at the very top of a grassy hill. After they'd all piled out of the car, they headed in through the stone archway, and purchased a ticket each at a booth just inside the entryway.

The inside of the festival was already full of people. There were lines of people waiting behind ATM machines and outside the port-a-john bathroom area, while other people rushed off towards the main festival grounds Some were dressed in normal, everyday clothing, while others were decked out in various degrees of costumed finery. Phoenix counted three women dressed as fairies, two women dressed as princesses, several men in pirate clothing, and one very fancy and ornate large gentleman in a king's costume and crown.

"Nick!" Maya was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet with excitement. "I want to get dressed up, too! I want to get a costume!"

She pointed at a sign on the door of a nearby booth which read "Ye Olde Costume Rental."

Phoenix frowned. "Uh…I don't know," he mumbled. "I have a feeling those aren't going to be cheap."

"Daddy, please?" Trucy's eyes were shining. "Just this once? We're supposed to be having fun, right?"

_Yeah, I know,_ thought Phoenix, _but can't__ we have fun without spending what's left of my money? _

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to at least look," he admitted reluctantly. "I'm not making any promises, okay? Let's just see how much everything costs, first."

"Yes!" Maya grinned. "You're the best, Nick!"

Phoenix sighed. _Did you not just hear me say that I wasn't making any promises?_

"Come on, Trucy." Maya grabbed Trucy's hand, and together both women ran into the costume booth.

_Oh well, _thought Phoenix, shaking his head and turning back to Edgeworth.

Edgeworth was in the process of examining the festival map that he'd picked up at the ticket booth.

"This place is significantly larger than I'd expected," he said. "We have a number of entertainment options. What appeals to you?"

"Me? Uh, well…" Phoenix chewed thoughtfully on his lip. "Trucy said there were magic shows, here. I think she'd be really disappointed if we missed that."

Edgeworth nodded. "There are apparently magicians on these two stages at both two and five o'clock," he said, pointing first at one and then at another location on the map. "As it's only a bit after ten o'clock now, we have a good deal of time."

"Great." Phoenix nodded. "Okay, so, where to first?"

Edgeworth shrugged. "That's entirely up to you. I can't say that any of these attractions particularly appeal to me, so I have no preference."

Phoenix glanced at the map again.

_According to the 'entertainment guide' at the bottom of the page, _he thought, _there really is a lot of stuff, here. There are jugglers and magicians walking around all day, and apparently at noon there's an acrobatic show over that way, somewhere. Oh, look, they've got musical performances too…but, uh, somehow I don't think that "The Bawdy Pirate Ladies" are going to be exactly Edgeworth's cup of classical tea. Actually…are there any musicians here who don't sing dirty songs? All of these shows are called things like "Sexy Sea Shanties" and "Dirty Limericks for the Adult at Heart." What exactly have we gotten ourselves into, here? Eighteen or not, somehow I'm not sure I want Trucy listening to that kind of music. What ever happened to good old instrumental music? Weren't there, uh, lutes or something back in the Renaissance era? _

Edgeworth sighed and adjusted his glasses. "At least it's a pleasantly warm day," he said under his breath, probably more to himself than to Phoenix.

Phoenix frowned. _There has to be something he won't hate, _he thought. _I mean, this is a big place. _

He continued to run his eyes down the list of shows and vendors until he finally found something that that piqued his interest.

"Hey, Miles," he said, pointing at the entertainment guide. "It says here that they're performing 'Romeo and Juliet' at noon on the main stage, somewhere around…uh, here." He jabbed a finger at the map." That's a Shakespeare play, right? I mean, I know it is. It's one of the only plays I remember reading in high school."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "That's unfortunate," he murmured. "You'd think your teachers would have exposed you to more classical literature."

"Oh, they did," insisted Phoenix. "We read 'Frankenstein' and 'The Great Gatsby' at least three times a-piece."

"Quantity of re-readings does not make up for inferior quality of literature," replied Edgeworth haughtily.

_Sheesh, _thought Phoenix. _Someone's picky._

"Anyway," he said, "do you want to see the play? I mean, I don't know if theater is your thing, but Romeo and Juliet is supposed to be one of the greatest Western classics, or something like that. Could be good."

Edgeworth frowned. "I…suppose it might be worth seeing," he admitted grudgingly. "If done well, it could be enjoyable."

_For Edgeworth, that's almost enthusiasm, _thought Phoenix, grinning to himself.

"Looks like there's a wine garden next to the main theater," he added, pointing again at the map. "This place has it's own vineyard year-round, right? I wonder if they do tastings."

Edgeworth coughed. "Well," he said. "I suppose that if we're going in that direction already, there's no reason why we can't make a brief stop to see for ourselves."

Edgeworth was looking just a little bit less put-out, now. Stretching his arms up over his head until he felt his shoulders pop, Phoenix sighed happily.

"You know," he said. "This was a pretty good idea of yours. I think it's gonna be a good day, today."

For the first time since they'd arrived, Edgeworth looked pleased.

"I'm glad to hear it," he murmured. "I'd hoped you be able to-!"

"Heeeeeey!" Suddenly, Maya and Trucy both came barreling out of the costume shop.

"Nick," panted Maya. "Mr. Edgeworth. Aren't you coming? We've been waiting for you! The costumes are all gonna sell out if you keep dawdling around out here!"

Phoenix sighed, and pulled out his wallet. "Fine," he said, shrugging. "How much do you need?"

Trucy shook her head. "We don't know, yet. You have to pick out your costumes, first."

_Wait, what? _Phoenix blinked. "Our costumes?"

"Yeah, of course!" Maya nodded. "We're all gonna get dressed up, right? There are still a bunch of choices for guys, so you have to come pick something! They'll even let you try it on before you rent it!"

"Wait," protested Phoenix. "H-hang on a second. I'm not-!"

Maya, of course, completely ignored him. Grabbing him firmly by the arm, she began hauling him back towards the costume rental booth.

"Let's go, Mr. Edgeworth," said Trucy.

"C-certainly not," mumbled Edgeworth hurriedly. "There's absolutely no reason for me to wear one of those preposterous get-ups. I'd look like a fool."

"Don't worry," Trucy assured him. "We're all going to look silly! That's part of the fun, right?"

Phoenix glanced over his shoulder just in time to see the horrified look on Edgeworth's face as Trucy took him by the hand and began leading him towards the rental booth.

"Trust me," she assured him. "It'll be great!"

"I...th-this is a terrible idea,' muttered Edgeworth helplessly. "I firmly protest."

_A lot of good that's going to do you, _thought Phoenix. He'd seen the mischievous little glint in his daughter's eye.

**Some short time later, outside the costume rental booth…**

Maya and Trucy emerged from the rental booth, fully-dressed in what they'd taken to referring to as their "renaissance garb," pulling Phoenix and Edgeworth along behind them.

Maya was dressed in a pretty red and blue wench's costume, complete with a lace-up bodice and several layers of flouncy skirts.

"I feel pretty," she announced, twirling happily and giggling like the seventeen-year-old girl that Phoenix still remembered from years ago. "I mean, maybe it'd be better if I didn't look in a mirror, or anything, but at least I FEEL pretty!" Glancing down at the laces on her bodice, she grimaced. "This is, uh, kinda tight, though. Did women in the Renaissance really dress like this? How did they eat? I mean…what's the point of being at a place like this if you can't try all the different food booths? I feel like if I even take a bit out of one of those giant turkey legs, I'd probably burst right out of my dress."

Trucy laughed. "I'm sure it stretches," she said. "I wouldn't eat too much, though, just to be safe. You're right, it is a little, um…more constricting than I expected."

Trucy's costume was slightly more demure than Maya's, with a higher-cut black bodice, and a red skirt with a blue tie. She'd also talked Phoenix into renting her a cute little black velvet hat, which she insisting on pushing to a slightly jauntier-than-necessary angle on her head.

"Just talking about food is making me hungry," sighed Maya. "Is it lunchtime, yet? What should we try first, Nick?"

She turned to Phoenix, who was in the process of adjusting the billowy sleeves of his peasant man's costume. His, at least, provided plenty of coverage. They'd given him a large, puffy white shirt and a long green vest which extended all the way down past his hips. The black pants he was wearing where way shorter than he'd expected, but the costume had come with a pair of slightly flimsy, faux-leather black boots that covered up the rest of his calves.

This is, uh..different," muttered Phoenix, shrugging. "I mean, it breathes, so that's good. I guess it could be worse. At least I don't have to worry about eating too much."

"Men," sighed Maya, shaking her head and crossing both arms over her mostly-exposed chest. "How come men always have it so much easier?"

"Right?" Trucy made a face. "It's just like Athena always says. The world is full of double standards for men and women! It's not fair."

Edgeworth coughed. "You are both beginning to sound like my sister. Please…don't. I've really had more than a sufficient number of lectures on chauvinism for one lifetime."

Phoenix was having a very hard time taking his eyes off of Edgeworth.

_Maya was right, _he thought. _Old-style period clothing really does suit him. _

Edgeworth, under a great deal of duress, had finally selected a slightly fancier costume than Phoenix. His consisted of a deep purple doublet that came to the waist, worn open over a familiarly frilly white shirt. He wore a pair of black pants and high black boots, and like Trucy, he also had a black hat, although his had a broader brim in which was stuck a fancy purple feather.

_Only Edgeworth could manage to pull off a look like that, _thought Phoenix, genuinely impressed. _He really is a very attractive man._

"Wright," said Edgeworth, scowling. "You're staring. I understand that I must look ridiculous, but please try and refrain from making me feel any more awkward and uncomfortable than I already do."

"Huh? Oh, uh…" Phoenix grinned sheepishly to himself. "Nah, that's…that's not it at all."

Trucy beamed at them both. "This is so cool! It's just like Halloween, only better," she told them. "Oh, we should all get a photograph together in our costumes! That'll be a great souvenir of our trip!"

"Great idea!" Maya began fumbling around in her bag. "Um, I know my phone's in here, somewhere. Just wait one second."

Edgeworth immediately took a few steps backwards.

"Th-there's no need for that," he mumbled hastily, shaking his head. "Ah…actually, we'd best get hurry if we're planning to attend the play at noon. It's, ah, very rude to show up in the middle of a performance."

Without waiting for a response, he darted away from Maya and Trucy and headed for the path that led to the main festival byway.

Maya blinked." Uh, but it's only eleven o'clock. We have an hour! Wait, Mr. Edgeworth!"

She hurried off after him.

Trucy turned and smiled up at her father.

"You look great, Daddy," she told him. "Are you happy?"

Phoenix smiled. back "Yeah," he said, passing his arm around her shoulders and giving her a quick little squeeze. "Yeah, I'm having a lot of fun, today. Thanks for suggesting this, Trucy."

"Me?" Trucy feigned innocence. "But this was all Mr. Edgeworth's idea!"

As they both turned to follow Edgeworth and Maya into the festival, Phoenix shook his head.

_Somehow, _he thought, _I sort of doubt that…_

**To be continued…**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **We'll pick up exactly where we left of when I get back from work this weekend! I should be able to update again on Monday night (and hopefully on Tuesday and Thursday nights as well!)

I wish I could continue to update daily, but I'm afraid that won't be possible until I've finished up one of the gigs I'm currently working.

I'll do my best to at least update more than once a week, though!

Remember, if you want to see more about Renaissance festivals and Ren Faire costumes, check out my tumblr at

Arimoriarty . tumblr . com!


	46. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Five

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the long delay. I'll do my best to get three chapters out this week before I have to leave town for the weekend, again.

Now, where were we…?

Oh yeah, **WARNING**: Some light sexual content.

* * *

**Chapter Five: Let Your Love Lift Me Up – Part Three**

**September 26, 2029**

**12:52 PM**

**The California Renaissance Festival**

"This is infuriating," muttered Edgeworth, scowling around at the crowd. "Were all of these people raised by wolves?"

He'd been making similar comments every few minutes for the duration of "Romeo and Juliet," which was taking place in the center of the festival, on the largest and shadiest of all the outdoor stages.

Unfortunately, as the stage was placed right in the middle of several other attractions, the noise level as hard to control. Phoenix could hear the strains of music and laughter from several other nearby stages the entire time.

The relatively large audience for "Romeo and Juliet" wasn't being what Phoenix would have called 'respectful,,' either. Several people were chatting loudly to themselves throughout the run of the show, and Phoenix suspected that the six half-clothed men in kilts seated this left were probably already very, very drunk.

_I don't know what Edgeworth was expecting, _he thought. _Isn't this what most outdoor theater is like? I mean, they sell alcohol maybe three feet from here. It's almost like they're encouraging people to be rowdy and out of control. _

"In Shakespeare's time," muttered Edgeworth, "the audience would have been divided into sections. Higher-class, paying patrons such as ourselves would have been seated in a raised area, separated entirely from these drunken, disorderly upstarts."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _You probably would have loved that, but we all paid the same price to get in, remember? This is the twenty-first century, Miles. We're working under the assumption that 'all men are created equal.' _

Romeo and Juliet were now both lying dead on the stage, Juliet's head resting on Romeo's remarkably still chest. As the Prince and the families of the dead lovers mourned over the bodies of the fallen, music began to play and the curtain slowly closed over the carnage.

Phoenix and Edgeworth stood up as the audience erupted into enthusiastic, overzealous applause.

"We should go," announced Edgeworth. "Trucy and Maya will be wondering what's become of us."

"Huh? Nah, I doubt it." Phoenix shook his head. "They're probably still shopping."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "In that case, it's even more important that we hurry. There's no telling how much of your money they'll spend in our absence."

"Hah," snorted Phoenix, grinning. "I didn't give them the credit card. All they can do right now is window-shop, although you can bet that the next time we see them they'll be begging me for a few more souvenirs."

Audience members were now leaving their seats in droves and swarming towards the two narrow streets that led away from the stage and back out to the festival. Edgeworth scowled disgustedly as a large, fat man in a kilt brushed past him, too busy chugging his beer to be paying much attention.

"Well then," muttered Edgeworth, "let's, ah…remove ourselves. You mentioned a wine garden somewhere nearby?"

_Oh, yeah, _thought Phoenix. _Miles hates big crowds. No wonder he's so anxious to get out of here._

Reaching out, Phoenix captured one of Edgeworth's hands and squeezed it comfortingly.

"Okay," he said. "Let's go."

Edgeworth frowned, but he didn't pull his hand away,and Phoenix held on tightly as they wove their way through the throng, following the signs for the festival wine garden.

The crowd thinned out a bit as they got farther from the theater, and eventually some of the tension in Edgeworth's face began to relax.

"Phoenix," he asked, "did you enjoy the performance?"

Phoenix frowned thoughtfully. "You know, I did," he said, "but…honestly, there's something that's been bothering me about it. I mean, like I said, I read the play in high school, so I already knew how it was going to end, but it's actually been a long time since I've thought about it. I mean, the more I think about it, the more I feel like the Prince was really responsible for the whole tragedy. Remember how he banished Romeo after the fight with Tybalt and Mercutio? If that hadn't happened, then nobody would have died."

Edgeworth shrugged. "He had no choice. Romeo had murdered Tybalt. The sentence was, as I understand it, a rather lenient one. He could have sentenced Romeo to instant death."

Phoenix shook his head, "No, but that's not right. I mean, Romeo wasn't exactly a murderer. You could make the argument that he killed Tybalt in self-defense. In that case, it's only justifiable homicide, and you don't give somebody the maximum sentence for a crime that he was forced to commit."

"Ah," retorted Edgeworth, wagging a finger at Phoenix, "but Romeo was never forced to kill Tybalt. You forget that Tybalt had, in fact, just slain Romeo's friend and counterpart, Mercutio. The murder of Tybalt was done in the heat of the moment, for purposes of revenge. It may not have been premeditated, but it was hardly a self-defense killing. Rather, it was a crime of passion, and therefore the maximum sentence was necessarily invoked."

By this time they'd arrived in front of a row of booths, all of which seemed to be staffed by sad-looking and buxom vendors dressed as bar wenches. Phoenix and Edgeworth slipped into what looked like the shortest line, still arguing.

"Tybalt had a sword," insisted Romeo. "He had a sword, and he'd just killed a man. Romeo feared for his life, and Tybalt was taunting him. There's no telling what he might have done."

"No," returned Edgeworth, shaking his head. "You've just said it yourself; Tybalt was _taunting_ Romeo, not threatening him. He was encouraging him to fight. Romeo accepted the bait, much to Tybalt's detriment, but the fact remains that Romeo would have been in no danger had he refused the invitation to combat. Your argument has very little grounds."

"Then I'll get grounds." Phoenix shrugged. "I bet I can prove to you that the language in Tybalt's death scene is threatening enough to warrant a 'justifiable homicide' verdict."

"Oh?" Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "And exactly how do you propose to do that?"

"Phoenix pointed at the stage. "Isn't it obvious? We'll have to ask the actors to re-enact the scene for us."

"That…might be considered presumptuous," muttered Edgeworth, looking almost amused. "I imagine they've already left, in any case."

The large woman in front of Phoenix received her drink and stepped out of the way,and Phoenix realized suddenly that he'd reached the font of the drink line.

"Well met, good sir," drawled the bar wench in a monotone, looking bored. "And what can I get for you fine gentles this day?"

_Ack, _thought Phoenix. _I haven't even looked at the menu, yet!_

"Uh," he mumbled, glancing quickly over the sign displayed above the booth. "I'll have a….wait, what's 'mead?'"

"It's fermented honey wine," murmured Edgeworth from behind him, before the barmaid could open her mouth. For some reason, she gave Edgeworth an irritated look.

Phoenix made a face. "Yeah, that sounds a little too sweet, for me. Can I get some of the blackberry wine?"

"One blackberry," muttered the barmaid, turning to fill a large plastic cup from the tap behind her.

"Hmm," murmured Edgeworth, frowning at the menu. "I believe I should like to try the 'Maiden's Blush.'"

Phoenix turned and stared at him. "You're having a what?"

"A Maiden's Blush," said Edgeworth, clearing his throat and almost managing not to look embarrassed. "It's a white wine, similar to a zinfandel. It says so here, on the sign." He indicated the fine print on the booth sign with one long finger.

Phoenix just smiled to himself as he handed over his credit card. _Yeah, _he thought, _but you just ordered a drink called a 'Maiden's Blush.' I'm not even sure I have to make a comment. You're just lucky Maya wasn't here. There's no way she'd have let that one go._

They both accepted their unreasonably large plastic cups of wine, and moved away from the crowd into a more secluded corner.

"So," asked Phoenix, as Edgeworth sampled the wine. "How is it? Your 'Maiden's Blush,' I mean."

Edgeworth gave him a stern look. "It's excellent," he retorted haughtily. "Quite a delicate vintage."

_Why, why do you keep giving me these straight lines? _Phoenix grinned.

"Anyway," said Phoenix, deciding to be merciful and returning to a previous subject, "I still think that I can prove the Prince was out of line. We'll have to go and find a copy of 'Romeo and Juliet' at the library, or something, and when we do, I can prove to you that Tybalt went after Romeo with malicious intent."

Edgeworth sighed. "You're still on about that?"

"What?" Phoenix shrugged and downed the rest of his wine. "You're the one who keeps insisting that I've got 'no grounds.' If you want me to let it go, then admit that I've got a case."

"You drank that far too fast," remarked Edgeworth disapprovingly.

Phoenix pointed an accusing finger at him. "Don't change the subject."

"Very well," muttered Edgeworth. He sighed, screwed up his face in thought for a moment, and then suddenly straightened up, looked straight past Phoenix's shoulder at something on the horizon, and began speaking again, in an unexpectedly dark and precise tones of voice

"Here comes the furious Tybalt back again," snarled Edgeworth. "Thou wretched boy that did consort him here shall with him hence!"

Phoenix blinked.

"Those are Tybalt's final lines," murmured Edgeworth in his own, normal voice, taking another sip of his wine. "I concede that they leave something to the imagination. The interpretation is for the director and the actor to decide. Neither of us have any hope of winning this argument."

"Wait," said Phoenix, "how did you know that those were the lines?"

Edgeworth shrugged. "I took recitation in school. We were instructed to memorize several sections of this particular play. It was…disagreeable, but I was an excellent student. Manfred von Karma was an extremely strict benefactor, as I'm sure you can imagine."

_What the hell kind of school did he go to after he left the fourth grade? _Phoenix wasn't exactly sure what to think.

"So, uh," he mumbled. "What else did you have to memorize?"

Again, Edgeworth squared his shoulders and began reciting in that deep and unexpectedly enthralling voice.

"O, he doth teach the torches to burn bright!  
It seems he hangs upon the cheek of night  
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;  
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!  
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,  
As yonder lord o'er his fellows shows.  
The measure done, I'll watch his place of stand,  
And, touching his, make blessed my rude hand.  
Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!  
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."

_Wow, _thought Phoenix, genuinely impressed. _That was, uh…not bad. Not bad at all. I had no idea Edgeworth was an actor. Actually, considering how much he hates crowds, fun, and all forms of time wasting, I really wouldn't have pegged him as the type, but he's, uh…he's definitely got a presence. Yeah. There's something…well, elegant about him._

"Ah," muttered Edgeworth uncomfortably, "I…believe I've said the monologue incorrectly. Those are Romeo's lines to Juliet, shortly after their first meeting, but even as a young boy I had very little interest in women. I seem to recall memorizing the speech with the masculine pronoun, rather than with the feminine. My teacher was not amused, nor was von Karma." He winced at the memory. "It's been a very long time since I've thought about that incident. I'm not sure I care to ever think about it again. I was reprimanded soundly before all of my peers, and naturally they jeered. It was all terrifically shaming. I never made the same mistake again, of course."

"Yeah," mumbled Phoenix. "Of course."

For a moment, they stood together in silence while people milled all around, heading for the wine booths. Edgeworth sipped awkwardly at the last of his wine.

"Hey, Miles," said Phoenix eventually. "You know, you've got a real talent."

Edgeworth scoffed. "Nonsense. I have no interest whatsoever in the stage. It was merely a schoolboy's recitation."

"Yeah," insisted Phoenix, "but, still…this whole Renaissance thing really suits you. You're kind of an elitist, you're way better at Shakespeare talk than you should be, and…hey, if I'm being honest, the outfit looks great on you. A lot of the guys walking around this festival look like idiots, but…you, you look good. No, you look great."

Phoenix could feel his face getting a little warmer, and he wasn't sure how much that had to do with the huge cup of wine he'd just finished.

"You flatter me," muttered Edgeworth, not quite meeting Phoenix's eyes. "I…appreciate it, although I certainly feel extremely foolish."

"You don't look it," insisted Phoenix, dropping his empty cup in a nearby trash can. "Like I said, you look great."

Taking a couple of steps forward, he closed the distance between himself and Edgeworth, and planted what was intended to be a playful little kiss on Edgeworth's mouth. Edgeworth sucked in a sharp, startled breath, and Phoenix suddenly found that he wasn't really satisfied with just that one little peck. Snaking his arms around Edgeworth's waist, he kissed him again, dabbing at Edgeworth's lips with his tongue until Edgeworth sighed and succumbed to the kiss, using his one free hand to press Phoenix closer against his chest while still holding his half-empty wine cup with the other.

"Mmm," murmured Phoenix, smiling against Edgeworth's lips.

"W-Wright,' mumbled Edgeworth, belatedly pulling away, "This is a public place. We're…behaving like fools." His face had no gone bright red.

"So?" Phoenix shrugged. "We're surrounded by people dressed up like fairies and knights in shining plastic armor. If we can't act like lovestruck idiots here, then where can we?"

Edgeworth snorted a laugh. "I had forgotten how just a little wine tends to go to your head."

"I'm not drunk," insisted Phoenix, slightly dizzier than he'd expected to be. _Although, honestly, I haven't eaten anything today, so maybe all of this wine wasn't such a great idea. _

"I'm sure," murmured Edgeworth, smiling ruefully.

"You're just really attractive," Phoenix went on. "I mean…look at this costume you're wearing. It has all of these laces on the front. I bet those would be a lot of fun to try untying."

Edgeworth's mouth fell open in surprise, and if it was possible for him to get any redder, he did.

"I…believe we've had more than enough to drink," he muttered confusedly, depositing the rest of the wine in the trash. "Let's ah, go and find Maya and Trucy before you say or do anything that we shall both live to regret."

"Tsk," said a voice from somewhere to Phoenix. "Indeed."

Phoenix turned around to see a woman that he vaguely recognized, although he couldn't quite place where he'd seen her before. She was small, slight, and silver-haired, with wrinkles under her eyes and wearing a dress covered in tiny pictures of what looked like little cats and dogs.

_She looks like someone's mean old grandmother, _thought Phoenix. _Or someone's librarian. Wait, that's where I've seen her before. She's the librarian who testified at the Iago Bleek trial. What was her name, again? Something Spine? _

"You're drunk, Mr. Wright," accused the woman who was probably named Spine.

Phoenix shook his head. "No, no, I'm not. Uh sorry. I just didn't recognize you at first. You, uh, must have done something differently with your hair. Mrs. Spine."

"Ms. Spine," corrected the old woman crisply. "I've never married, thank goodness. So many women do and then wish they never had."

"R-right," mumbled Phoenix. "Right. Of course."

Glancing back and forth between Phoenix and Edgeworth, Ms. Spine pursed her lips disapprovingly. "I see that you are enjoying the festival."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "We've had a lot of fun. Are you-?"

"I can't understand," interrupted Ms. Spine, "how you can be here gallivanting around and engaging in lewd public acts while that terrifying client of yours is still on the loose. Don't you feel any shame, Mr. Wright, after what he did to that poor Detective? You ought to be ashamed. You ought to be remorseful, but instead, here you are, acting as though you haven't a care in the world. I've always known that your generation lacked certain sense of responsibility, but this…this is too much. If I were your mother, I'd smack you."

_I am so glad, _thought Phoenix, _that you aren't my mother. Thank god for small blessings._

Edgeworth cleared his throat, and gave Ms. Spine a stern but not impolite look.

"If you'll excuse us, madam," he said, "we have an appointment to keep."

"Hah," laughed Ms. Spine. "I'm sure you do!"

Before Phoenix could say another word, Edgeworth took him firmly by the arm and led him back down the path, away from the wine garden and the militant Ms. Spine.

"That is an extremely dreadful woman," he remarked. "She was a witness at the Bleek trial, wasn't she? Remarkable that she managed to find us, here of all places. The world can be unbearably small."

Phoenix shook his head. "Horrible or not," he muttered, "She's right. We shouldn't be here. We shouldn't be having fun at a time like this."

Edgeworth turned on Phoenix. "Oh? Then what do you propose we should be doing instead? Shall we be miserable? Forgive me, but I don't see what good that will do. It certainly wouldn't serve to improve either Detective Gumshoe's situation or your own. Misery furthers no investigation that I've ever heard of."

There was an irritated glint in Edgeworth's eye, and he'd stiffened up again.

"You're angry," realized Phoenix.

Edgeworth sighed. "Yes," he admitted quietly. "Forgive me. I seem to have lost my composure for a moment. I did not bring you here, Phoenix, so that terrible elderly women smelling of cat hair and discontent could accuse of you of crimes which you did not commit. Please, do your best to put it out of your mind."

_Now I need another drink, _thought Phoenix unhappily.

"Sure," he said, shrugging. "I'll do my best."

"Good." Edgeworth nodded. "Please do. After all, we still have several magic shows to attend before the day is over. At this point, it really might be best if we found Trucy and Maya, so that we don't risk being late to any of the performances they wished to see."

_Miles, _thought Phoenix, _you hate magic shows. I know you're just trying to cheer me up, but…_

"Well?" Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "Shall we?"

Edgeworth gallantly presented an arm, and Phoenix couldn't help smiling.

Just then, someone called to them from a few feet down the dirt road.

"Daddy!" Trucy was running towards them full-tilt, with Maya hot on her heels. "Daddy, we have something we have to show you!"

"Ah," murmured Edgeworth. "It begins."

"It's okay," Phoenix assured him. "I've got a tight hold on the credit card. Just don't make eye contact, and we'll probably be fine."

Edgeworth nodded. "Very well. I shall follow your lead."

**Several hours later, outside Phoenix's apartment building…**

Edgeworth parked his car in his usual spot, and everyone piled out.

"Wow, Mr. Edgeworth!" Maya beamed ecstatically at him. "I can't believe you went and actually bought all of those costumes for us! I thought you hated costumes!"

Edgeworth coughed, and Phoenix could have sworn that Edgeworth's ears turned just a bit pinker.

"I, ah..well, you all seemed to be enjoying them so much. I…I simply wished to prolong that enjoyment," mumbled Edgeworth, not looking anyone in the eye.

"Well, it was super generous of you," said Maya,apparently oblivious to Edgeworth's discomfort. "Thanks so much! I can't wait to go and show my new costume off!"

_Huh? _Phoenix frowned. _Who's she going to show it off to? Oh, to Pearl, I guess. Actually, it's a shame that Pearl couldn't make it. I bet she'd have loved to go to a festival._

"Yeah, you're the best, Mr. Edgeworth!" Trucy yawned. "Um, is it okay if we go inside, though? I have college applications to do, and it's already kinda late…"

They headed into the building and over to the elevator.

"I'll be back later," announced Maya, as Phoenix pressed the call button. "I, uh, want to go and do something, real quick. See you later, Nick!"

Before Phoenix had a chance to ask any questions, Maya had darted around him and was starting down the stairwell towards the basement.

"What? Where's she going?" Phoenix blinked. "Hey, Maya!"

Maya, however, was already out of earshot.

_What the heck was that all about? _Phoenix shook his head.

"I wouldn't worry," murmured Edgeworth. "Spirit mediums often have cause to behave unexpectedly."

"Yeah," agreed Trucy. "Maya does weird things all the time, so she's probably fine. Anyway, she can bring people back from the dead, so she can probably take care of herself just fine."

The elevator arrived, and Trucy got in. After hesitating only a moment, Edgeworth got in alongside her.

_Good for him, _thought Phoenix approvingly.

He took one last quick look at the stairs toward the basement then shrugged and joined the other two in the elevator.

They rode up to the fifth floor, and Trucy unlocked the apartment door.

"I really have to get started on my college apps," she said apologetically, standing on her tiptoes to kiss her father on the cheek. "Night, Daddy. Night, Mr. Edgeworth!"

She gave Edgeworth a quick kiss on the cheek, too, which he bore with patience. Then Trucy ran off and secluded herself in her own bedroom, presumably to begin working on her applications.

"We should consider turning in early this evening," remarked Edgeworth into the silence that followed. "I'm afraid that there's a great deal of work to be done, tomorrow."

"On Sunday?" Phoenix frowned.

Edgeworth nodded. "The murder investigation isn't likely to observe a day of rest."

_Right, _realized Phoenix unhappily. _They're still looking for Bleek. No rest until they find him, guilty or not._

"Okay," he said. "I'm gonna go brush my teeth real quick. I'll be along in a minute."

While Edgeworth headed for the bedroom, Phoenix went into the bathroom to brush his teeth, and to wash as much of the unexpectedly tenacious festival dirt off of his face as he could. Once he'd gotten himself mostly clean, he returned the bedroom to tell Edgeworth that the bathroom was free.

Unexpectedly, Edgeworth was standing awkwardly next to the bed, dressed once again in the purple Renaissance costume that he'd purchased that day at the festival.

"Oh," said Phoenix. "Wow."

Edgeworth frowned. "I…had hoped you'd be pleased."

"What? Oh, no, no, I like it, "insisted Phoenix, rubbing a nervous hand along the back of his neck. "It's just, uh, I wasn't expecting…I mean, you look kind of uncomfortable in that."

"Yes, well,' muttered Edgeworth, clearing his throat. "You seemed very impressed with this particular garment at the festival. I thought that you might perhaps enjoy making use of it at home." He reddened noticeably this time, and looked away.

"Only if you're up for it," said Phoenix. "Like I said, you don't look like you're enjoying this, much."

"I…feel decidedly foolish," admitted Edgeworth, sighing. "As Maya so accurately noted earlier, I do not regularly enjoy playing dress up like a seven –year-old girl, but…" He trailed off, looking uncertain.

"What?" Phoenix frowned. "What is it?"

"I…know that I am not a terrifically exciting man," began Edgeworth slowly. "I'm far from spontaneous. I border on the mundane. You'll no doubt begin to get bored of me if I don't find some means of varying the experience. I thought that, as you'd already expressed interest in this particular outfit, I might-!"

"Stop," said Phoenix, shaking his head.

Edgeworth stopped mid-sentence, looking surprised.

"I'm not getting bored," insisted Phoenix. "I'm not going to get bored, either. How many times do I have to tell you? You don't need to be spontaneous. I don't care if you're not 'exciting.' I want you, Miles, and I don't want you to make yourself nuts trying to think of news ways to impress me. I'm already impressed, and I'm pretty easily amused, honestly. You don't have to do much except be yourself."

Edgeworth didn't seem to know quite what to say. He coughed, clearly moved, and Phoenix took that opportunity to lean in and kiss him.

"You look great in that costume," said Phoenix, breaking the kiss after a long and delectable moment. "You look super uncomfortable, though, so let's get you out of it."

Without waiting for a response, he began untying the laces on the front of the shirt, and as he did so he could feel Edgeworth's heart beating just a little bit faster through the fabric folds.

"Phoenix," said Edgeworth seriously, after Phoenix had finally finished with the laces. "I'm not entirely sure that I deserve you."

"Yeah, you've said that before," returned Phoenix, gently pushing Edgeworth back on the bed. "But I wouldn't waste time worrying about it, because whether you're sure or not, I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me."

Climbing on to the bed, he kissed Edgeworth again, and then let his lips drift to Edgeworth's throat, then down to his collarbone. Edgeworth closed his eyes and reached out with one hand to grope for Phoenix's belt buckle.

"By the way, Miles, "murmured Phoenix against Edgeworth's neck. "Thanks for today. I had a lot of fun, and…honestly, I think I needed that more than I realized. Thanks for taking the time. It means a lot to me, and I mean that."

Edgeworth just shook his head.

"Don't mention it," he murmured. "It was my pleasure, of course."

Through the wall, Phoenix heard Trucy turn on her favorite study music mix, while outside the window, the various lights on local shops began to switch off for the night.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **This should probably be two chapters instead of one, but I'm posting it as one extra-long chapter to avoid any unforeseen trouble with updating.

Let's do one more reader response question!

If you could send Phoenix and Miles back to any time period in history, what would it be? (Yes, there is a purpose to this question, but I'm not goign to tell you what it is, yet! It will have to be a surprise!)


	47. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Six

**Author's Note: **We interrupt your regularly scheduled Narumitsu angst fest to bring you this surprise MayaxDiego moment!

At the end of the last chapter, Maya darted down to the basement of the apartment building, appparently to "show off" her new costume.

I found myself thinking about that scene so much that I ended up having to write it, and here it is!

We'll return to the Phoenix/Edgeworth storyline in the next chater. Thank you for indulging me.

* * *

**Chapter Six: Let Your Love Lift Me Up – Maya's Side**

**September 26, 2029**

**9:00 PM**

**The Basement of Phoenix's Apartment Building**

Maya darted eagerly down the steps to the basement floor, and then hurried into the barely-used public bathroom to change into her wench outfit.

It took a little bit longer than she'd expected to struggle into the costume, which seemed a little smaller and tighter than she remembered it being when the lady at the costume rental booth had first helped her to force it on.

_I guess maybe two turkey legs wasn't such a great idea, _thought Maya ruefully._ I mean…they were good; like, really good, and it was totally worth it but…now I'm not sure if I'm gonna be able to make this fit! No wonder Mia never used to eat much. This was fun, but it'll be nice to get back into my channeling robes, tomorrow. I mean, at least when I'm wearing those, nobody can tell how much I ate for dinner!_

Once she'd finally managed to get the costume on and had spent a few awkward minutes fiddling with the laces in the front, Maya slung her channeling robes over her shoulder and headed down the hall towards apartment B12.

"Mr. Armando," she called, knocking heavily on the door. "Mr. Armando, it's me, Maya ! Let me in, I want to show you something!"

For once, Maya didn't have to wait too long for an answer. After only a moment or two, the door swung open to reveal the masked and rueful face of former Prosecutor Diego Armando.

"Hey, Little Kitten," he began, giving her a lopsided sort of half-smile. "Long time no-!"

He trailed off mid-sentence, his mouth still hanging slightly open as he stared.

"Uh," he mumbled. "Wait, what…what the hell are you wearing?"

Maya grinned at him. "It's a Renaissance costume! Nick and Mr. Edgeworth took us to the festival today, and Mr. Edgeworth bought me this!"

What little was visible of Armando's face seemed to be turning an unusual shade of pink. "He bought that for you, huh? Well, that was, uh…nice of him."

Even through Armando's mask, Maya could tell that there was something strange about the way he was looking at her.

"Well," she asked, "don't you like it?"

"Uh," mumbled Armando. "That's…that's quite a question. It's definitely…something."

"Something?" Maya frowned.

Armando shrugged. "Don't you think you're a little young to be wearing a thing like that, Little Kitten? I mean, kids shouldn't really be making that kind of a showy fashion statement."

"But," insisted Maya, "I'm not a kid. I'm twenty seven."

For a moment, Armando seemed taken aback.

"Oh, uh…well, I guess that's true," he muttered. "Hah. "I guess I'm not the only one getting old." Taking a thoughtful sip of his coffee, he shook his head. "The passage of time is like an all-night binge from a seemingly bottomless coffee pot. You never notice that you're starting to run out, but the closer you get to the end, the more you find yourself stuck with the dregs. The end of anything is more bitter than sweet."

Maya had to think about that one for a long moment before she was sure she understood.

_Sheesh, _she thought. _Can't he ever just say what he means without all the caffeine metaphors? _

"You know," she told him, "you're not that old."

"I'm forty two," he retorted, shrugging. "Closer to fifty than thirty. You used to be a little girl."

"So? Who cares?" For some reason, Maya was starting to get annoyed. "I'm not little anymore."

"Yeah," agreed Armando. "Sure, I can see that." He coughed. "Guess it's kind of hard for an old man to take, though. You could have been my little sister, once. I'll always think of you that way, Little Kitten."

_I'm not your little sis_ter, thought Maya, frustrated. _I'm not a "Little Kitten," either. I'm a grown woman. I'm the Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique! Just like Nick says, that's a huge responsibility. I'm no_t…_I'm not just a little girl. I'm not!_

She opened her mouth to protest, to stand up f_o_r herself and to tell him just how mature she obviously was, but before she had a chance, Armando retreated back into the apartment, beckoning Maya to follow him.

She joined him in the kitchen, and he started brewing a new pot of coffee on the coffee maker she'd given him for Christmas almost a year ago.

"So," he said, "tell me about the festival. Did you have a good time? What about our Mr. Wright? Did he go with you? How's he doing?"

"Oh, um, well, I guess he's doing better," mused Maya. "We've all been kind of down lately about poor Maggey. That's why Mr. Edgeworth invited us all to the festival. I think he just wanted to cheer Nick up, really. We all wore costumes, and we saw a juggler, and two magicians! I'm still trying to figure out how they made the curtains on the stage disappear, but Trucy says she can show me if we can find some curtains to play with."

Armando smiled as the coffee gurgled in the machine. "Sounds like a good time," he murmured.

"Yeah," agreed Maya, nodding enthusiastically. "Next time, you should come, too!"

"Me? Nah, I don't think so," he said, shaking his head. "I told you before, remember? I'm a demon that Phoenix Wright's already faced. I'm not interested in cultivating a social relationship."

"No," insisted Maya, "not with Nick. I mean, we don't all have to go. Next time, it can be just you and me!"

In the midst of pouring a cup of coffee, Armando paused, frowning.

"Hey," he said, suddenly giving Maya an unexpectedly stern look. "Just what exactly are you asking me?"

"Huh?" Maya was puzzled. "Um, I'm asking you to go to the festival with me, obviously. I think it's open until the end of October, so there's lots of time, still. It's probably cooler out in October, though, so maybe we should go then, because right now it's really hot, and I bet it would be a lot more fun if it wasn't quite so hot. I wanted to get ice cream, but I figured it would just melt all over my dress, and so-!"

Armando put the coffee pot down and sighed.

"Maya," he said. "Look, this…this isn't a good idea."

"What?" Maya blinked. "Why not?"

"Because," he retorted, "Like I told you, I'm an old man, and you're…uh, well you're not exactly a little girl, but…"

Maya waited, but Armando seemed to be having trouble finishing the thought. He stopped, frowned, cleared his throat, and then said, "well, you'll always be my Little Kitten. Romance, is, uh…probably not in the cards for us." "

"R-romance?" Maya stared. "What are you talking about? I'm not…I mean, we're not, uh…I mean, I'm not interested in romance! That's not what I meant at all!"

"Oh?" Armando raised an eyebrow, and then pointed an accusatory finger at her. "Then what exactly did you mean? Why do you think you keep coming down here all the time?"

"I…I thought you might be lonely," mumbled Maya. "I just didn't want you to-!"

"You're spending way too much time with a bitter old man," he interrupted her, shaking his head. "You waste too much time checking up on me and bringing me presents. Now you're asking me out on a date. Maybe you haven't realized it yourself, yet, but I can see where this is going. It's as clear as the first moments after that early morning cup of fresh coffee, and I'm not going to let you make that mistake, grown woman or not. This has to stop."

He looked so stern and serious that Maya wasn't sure what to say.

_No, he's got it all wrong, _ she thought desperately. _It wasn't supposed to be a date! I was just being friendly! I don't have feelings like that for Mr. Armando…do I? _

Unexpectedly,Maya's heart began beating a little faster, and suddenly she found that she couldn't meet Armando's eyes.

_Is…is that what this is? _She swallowed hard_. I just like being around him, and I hate seeing him sad. I don't want him to be lonely, and I want to see him smile, so I…I visit a lot, and I check up on him a lot, and I make sure he isn't having too much trouble. It's because I'm grateful, isn't it? I mean…it's not LOVE, or anything like that. That would be…well, that would be weird, but…I mean, I've never been in love before. Maybe this is what love feels like. Oh…uh oh. Actually, I don't feel so good..._

"Um," mumbled Maya confusedly, completely at a loss and suddenly very uncertain of her ground.

Armando turned away.

"Might be for the best," he muttered, "if you kept your distance from me for a while, Little Kitten."

Maya bit her lip. "You don't like it when I come to visit?"

For some reason, Armando's ears turned a little pink.

"Hey now," he mumbled. "That's…that's not exactly what I said."

Maya frowned. "Then why-!"

"Do you remember what I said before?" Armando was now glaring down at the untouched cup of coffee he'd poured. "Love is a cruel and bitter mistress. She's merciless and she's cold. She'll keep you up at night and make you a dreamer during the day, and she'll never rest till she's driven you crazy. You don't want to tangle with love."

_I don't know, _thought Maya. _Is getting excited about something really so bad? If love is such a terrible thing, then why does everyone want it so much? Somehow, that just doesn't add up. _

"So," she asked, "is that how you feel about Mia?"

Armando just nodded. "You don't even have to ask."

"And…" Again, Maya swallowed and said the words before she'd had a chance to check herself. "And, what about me? How do you feel about me?"

The back of Armando's neck flushed a much deeper red. Still with his back to Maya, he reached out and took a long swig of his coffee. His hand on the cup seemed a little more unsteady than usual.

"That's not a fair question," he mumbled. "You can't ask me that."

"But," began Maya, "I want to know-!"

Suddenly, Armando turned around, slamming the coffee cup down hard on the counter. His face was unreadable behind the mask, but the tension in the air around them was unmistakable.

"That's enough," he said. "Thanks for the visit, Little Kitten, but I think it's time that you left."

"Hey," insisted Maya. "No, you never answered my question!"

Armando ignored her.

"Go on back to Wright," he said, nodding firmly at the apartment door. "You're a lot better off up there than you are down here. Don't waste time worrying about me. My lot is a solitary one, and always has been. Maybe it's fate. Maybe it's my own fault. Either way, it's none of your concern."

He pointed out the door at the dark and silent hallway, and Maya couldn't think of a single thing to say in protest. With really no other available options, she left the apartment, and watched unhappily as Armando shut the door firmly in her face. She heard the lock click, and knew that he'd buried himself in his own makeshift, basement prison again, and that there was probably nothing she could do about it now.

For a long time, she stood in front of the door, frustratedly trying to come up with any convincing argument that would get him to open up and talk to her again.

After what felt like hours, but was probably only a few minutes, she gave up, turned around, and headed for the stairwell, full of a lot of new, confused and conflicted feelings which felt foreign and awful in the pit of her stomach, where they tried to settle in with the remains of the turkey leg and the leftover excitement from a day that had, until very recently, been one of the most fun she'd had in a very long time.

**Fin. **

* * *

**Author's Note: **So, my computer is having some serious issues and it's driving me insane. My keyboard isn't working properly, and I sincerely hope this document isn't as full of typos as I suspect it is. I am going to throw this computer out of a window at any minute. So much frustration. Gah!

I wanted to begin writing the next Phoenix/Edgeworth chapter tonight, but I'm not sure I can stand working on this machine anymore. Will probably update tomorrow instead. Thank you for your patience.


	48. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Seven

**Author's Note: **I hope you enjoyed our pleasant little interlude at the Renaissance festival, because it's time for things to get real again.

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Truth and Consequences**

**September 30, 2029**

**1:00 AM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

This time, when Edgeworth's phone rang in the early hours of the morning he didn't waste any time. Reaching across Phoenix's sleeping form, he grabbed the phone off the bedside table and pressed the call button.

"Yes," he whispered. "What is it?

"Morning, Mr. Edgeworth," said Detective Ema Skye on the other end of the line. "I've got good news, and I've got bad news. Which do you want first?"

_What is this, some kind of joke? It's one o'clock in the morning, _thought Edgeworth irritably. _I don't have the patience._

"Good news, then," said Ema, when Edgeworth didn't respond. "We found Bleek…sort of. I mean, he's long gone by now, but we know where he's been. He left traces of himself all over the place. We found his fingerprints, his footprints, a button from his coat and again, even some of his blood. There's no doubt about it, sir; the science doesn't lie. Iago Bleek was here."

"What?" Edgeworth sat bolt upright in bed. "And…where did you find all of this?"

Ema sighed. "Well, that's the bad news, Mr. Edgeworth. We found all of that evidence on and around the body."

Edgeworth froze. "The...body?"

"Yes," repeated Ema, "the body. Apparently it's the body of Ms. Susan Margaret Spine, an old librarian from the same street where that Darcy Dobler used to work. You probably remember her, sir. She was a witness at the Iago Bleek trial."

Edgeworth thought about the ugly, elderly woman with the crabbed face in the hideous printed dress, whom he and Phoenix had encountered at the festival only hours before.

"Yes," he said quietly. "I remember."

"Of course you do," agreed Ema. "Well, apparently the security crew at the California Renaissance Festival found her body around eleven o'clock last night, although it looks like she's been dead for a few hours already. We'll know for certain once we've finished working on the body."

"I see," murmured Edgeworth."

"I only just got here myself," continued Ema, "and it's maybe two and a half hours from where you are, so I don't think you can make it out to us tonight, but if you'd come down in the morning, I'd appreciate it. I'm sure the rest of the guys would, too."

Edgeworth nodded. "Of course. I'll see you shortly, Detective. Please keep up the good work."

"At this point, there's only so much I can do," replied Ema, with that same, characteristic nonchalance that made her both a competent and a somewhat disconcerting investigative partner. "The rest is up to science. See you bright and early, Mr. Edgeworth."

After Ema had hung up, Edgeworth carefully climbed out of bed, and then checked to make sure that Phoenix was still asleep. By some miracle, the phone call didn't seem to have woken him up, and so Edgeworth dressed himself and left the bedroom as carefully and quietly as he could.

Once out in the living room, however, he encountered a problem. Trucy was sitting on the sofa in front of the TV, curled up and concentrating with her math textbook on her lap.

She looked up and yawned when Edgeworth walked in.

"Mr. Edgeworth?" She frowned. "Where are you going?"

For a moment, Edgeworth considered making up an excuse. Then, almost instantly he thought better of it.

"My assistance has been requested at an investigation," he informed her. "I'm afraid I'll be leaving earlier than expected. Please give your father my sincerest apologies."

"Um. Okay." Trucy nodded, and then yawned again. "But…it's so early," she managed around the yawn.

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth, raising an eyebrow. "What exactly are you doing, still awake at this hour?"

"I have to finish my math homework," she explained, gesturing helplessly at the textbook on her lap. "Daddy says 'never do anything at the last minute.' He'll get mad if I leave it until tomorrow night, and tomorrow morning I'm going to the movies with Robin, so…"

Despite himself, Edgeworth smiled.

_Never leave anything until the last minute? I see Phoenix is operating under the mantra of 'do as I say, not as I do._' _I suppose that accounts for a great deal of modern parenting._

Trucy was still watching Edgeworth intently. "Are you going to come back?"

"Yes," he assured her. "As soon as I can."

"Oh. Okay." She nodded, stretched, and cast a rueful eye down at her textbook. "I might still be here when you get back, then. This is taking absolutely forever. I'm…well, I'm really not very good at math. It's just logic, so it should make sense, but it doesn't. The numbers never turn out exactly the way you expect them to, almost like there's a magic trick to it that I just haven't figured out, yet."

On a whim that surprised even him, Edgeworth reached out and gave Trucy a hesitant little comforting pat on the shoulder. She smiled.

"There are tricks," he informed her, straightening up again. "A systematic approach is usually best. I'll be happy to show you what I mean if you're still having difficulties when I return."

"Thanks, Mr. Edgeworth," said Trucy as Edgeworth headed for the door. "You really are the best. I'll tell Daddy what happened. He'll probably call."

_I'm sure he will_, thought Edgeworth unhappily, glancing back over his shoulder at the closed door to Phoenix's bedroom. _No doub_t he_'ll learn the details on the news, if he doesn't have some other means of gathering that information by now. _

**Two hours later**, **at the California Renaissance Festival…**

Edgeworth arrived on the scene to find everything exactly as he'd expected. As usual, police officers seemed to be everywhere, frantically rushing around, examining things, making notes and conferring with each other in hushed voices.

It didn't take him too long to find Detective Skye. She was standing over the body of what had once been Ms. Susan Spine. Ms. Spine was still wearing that horrible dog and cat print dress that Edgeworth and Phoenix had seen her in that morning.

_She doesn't look nearly a_s _fierce, now, _thought Edgeworth dismally. _Lifeless, I believe, is the word that I'm looking for, and yet just a few hours ago she was far livelier than I would have liked. _

"It's just like last time, sir," said Ema, frowning down at the body. "Bleek's fingerprints, Bleek's footprints, and a bunch of Bleek's blood right here on the deceased's collar."

She pointed at a dark red bloodstain on Ms. Spine's shirt.

"That's his s blood, not hers," she explained. "It's weird, too, because I can't imagine an old lady like this putting up too much of a fight."

Edgeworth shrugged. "I'm not so sure about that. She was…feisty."

"Oh, yeah?" Ema looked surprised. "Did you know her, sir?"

"Not as such," muttered Edgeworth. "We met once, in passing."

There was a bit of paper taped crudely to Ms. Spine's chest, and Edgeworth reached down to retrieve it.

The paper read, "YOU OUHGT TO BE ASHAMED," in large, uneven print.

Something about the note felt strangely familiar to Edgeworth, who frowned down at it for several seconds, trying to rdecide what exactly it was about the note that bothered him so much.

"This is a serial murder case, now," remarked Ema, as Edgeworth wracked his brains. "I mean, Ms. Spine was pretty obviously killed by the same person who did in poor Detective Maggey. Even if you want to make the argument that it wasn't Bleek, it was definitely the same guy."

_I would love to argue that it wasn't Bleek, _thought Edgeworth, _but at the moment that would be beyond foolhardy. Still, the evidence seems…almost too condemning. It can hardly be a coincidence that Bleek left his fingerprints, footprints, and blood behind at both scenes. It's entirely too perfect. Perhaps there is something, after all, to Phoenix's theory that Bleek is being framed. _

"You see the pattern," continued Ema. "Don't you, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"Hmm?" Edgeworth frowned. "The pattern, Detective?"

"Yeah," repeated Ema. "I mean, the pattern behind the serial murders. There's definitely something that the two victims have in common, right?"

_Ah, of course, _thought Edgeworth. _Yet, a single similarity between two murders can hardly be rationally called a 'pattern.' It may be a mere coincidence. Assuming, however, that there is a pattern, what do our two hapless victims have in common? Poor Detective Maggey Gumshoe, and now this fierce old cat lady. Yes…well, I suppose the similarity here is a rather obvious one._

"They were both witnesses at the trial in which Iago Bleek was found innocent of Ms. Dobler's murder," said Edgeworth.

Ema nodded. "That's right, Mr. Edgeworth. Looks like he's killing witnesses."

_True, _thought Edgeworth. _It's alarming, considering the unusual number of people who gave testimony at that particular trial. We'll have to discreetly monitor their movements until we've closed this case. I say discreetly, because anything overt would undoubtedly cause a panic, and that' would be intensely counterproductive. _

As he mused to himself about the witnesses, Edgeworth turned the murderer's note over and over in his hands.

_Which witnesses remain? There was the shopkeeper from the nearby cigarette store, and the woman who'd just stepped out of the Laundromat. There was the young lady with the dog-walking service, the postal worker, and…_

The penny dropped, and a horrible little chill shot down Edgeworth's spine, causing him to release his hold on the note which fluttered to the cobblestone walk at his feet.

_Maya, _he realized. _Maya gave testimony. True, she was acting on behalf of the murdered Ms. Dobler, but…somehow, I doubt that a small detail like that will matter to a determined serial murderer._

His palms had started to sweat, and he had to swallow to force down the panic starting to well up in his chest.

_I must remain calm, _he reminded himself. _Panic solves nothing. Besides, it's exactly as I said before. One single similarity between two murder victims does not a true pattern make. This may be nothing at all, and yet…_

"Mr. Edgeworth?" Ema was frowning at him. "Are you feeling okay, sir? You look, um…off."

Edgeworth was just opening his mouth to respond to that when his cell phone began to ring.

"Yes," he barked, pulling the phone out of his pocket and holding it to his ear.

"Miles?" Phoenix sounded groggy on the other end of the line. "Where are you? What's going on?"

"Wright," muttered Edgeworth, taking a deep breath and doing his best to get his voice under control. "Good morning. I'm sorry to have left so suddenly."

"It's fine," insisted Phoenix. "Trucy told me something came up. What is it?"

Edgeworth said nothing, still trying to decide on the best way to phrase his answer.

Phoenix sighed. "Let me guess," he said. "Someone's been murdered, right?"

"I…yes," mumbled Edgeworth.

There was a brief silence before Phoenix said anything else. "Who," he asked finally. "Who's dead?"

Edgeworth didn't see any reason or point in trying to hide the truth. "Ms. Susan Spine," he said simply. "Several hours ago, on the Renaissance festival grounds. Detective Skye is investigating."

Phoenix sucked in a slow breath. "The librarian. I bet Bleek's fingerprints are all over the body, right?"

"Yes," sighed Edgeworth. "The scene is remarkably similar to that of the murder of Detective Gumshoe."

There was a muffled sort of rustling noise on the other end of the line.

"I'm coming down there," announced Phoenix. "Hang on."

"What? No, you certainly are not." Edgeworth scowled. "Remain where you are, I'll come home."

"You can't," insisted Phoenix. "You're in the middle of an investigation."

"It's not my investigation," retorted Edgeworth. "As of this moment, I'm merely assisting. Besides, there's something I'd like to discuss with you. I'll leave shortly. We'll talk when I return. Please calm down and try not to do anything rash in the meantime."

There was another brief silence before Phoenix spoke again. "So," he asked eventually, "you're really coming home?"

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth. "Imminently."

Phoenix sighed. "Fine, okay," he muttered. "I'm going into the office. I'll meet you there."

Edgeworth frowned. "It's Sunday," he reminded Phoenix.

"Hah," snorted Phoenix. "You should talk. Looks like we're both working this weekend."

Edgeworth wanted to ask just what it was that Phoenix was planning to work on, but decided against it.

"Very well," he said. "I'll come to your office."

Phoenix hung up, and Edgeworth quietly slipped the phone back into his pocket, aware that Ema was now watching him with raised eyebrows.

"Sounds like Mr. Wright's pretty bent out of shape," she remarked.

Edgeworth winced. "Ah…so, you heard."

"Well, yeah," returned Ema, shrugging. "I mean, you were both almost shouting at each other. Not that I really blame him. I mean, if my client had just killed two people, I'd be upset."

_Yes, _thought Edgeworth. _Well, 'upset' might be something of an understatement. _

He cleared his throat.

"Unfortunately," he began, "I need to-!"

"Yeah," interrupted Ema before Edgeworth had even had time to finish the thought. "You'd better go, before Mr. Wright really does decide to come out here. He'll do it, you know."

"He doesn't own a vehicle," Edgeworth reminded her.

"So?" Ema shook her head. "He'll figure it out. Nothing stops Phoenix Wright when he's on a case."

There was an unusual amount of admiration and respect in Ema's eyes when she talked about Phoenix. Edgeworth was impressed.

_Detective Skye does not_ _impress easily, _he thought. _I wish Phoenix could see what an effect he's had on this woman. It might be good for him. I generally discourage him from allowing that shining reputation of his go to his head, but at the moment, it might not be such a terrible thing. _

"Wright is not actually 'on' thi_s _case, as such," said Edgeworth.

Ema knelt down next to the body and began pulling on a pair of plastic gloves, apparently ready to get back to her investigation.

"Sure," she replied. "I mean, of course he's not, but I dare you to try telling him that."

**Sometime later, at the Wright Anything Agency Offices…**

When Edgeworth arrived at the offices, Apollo and Athena met him at the front door.

"Oh, Chief Prosecutor." Apollo nodded politely. "Please, come in."

Edgeworth frowned. "What are you both doing here? It's the weekend. You should be at home, unless you've picked up a new client that I haven't heard about."

Athena shook her head. "The boss called us and told us what happened to poor Ms. Spine. We're here to help."

"Mr. Wright's in his office," said Apollo, pointing at the closed door to Phoenix's private office. "He's waiting for you."

"Let us know if you need anything," added Athena. "We'll do whatever we can!"

She clenched both fists, and Apollo gave Edgeworth a determined little nod.

_As far as I kno_w, thought Edgeworth, _neither of you can possibly be an_y _help. We have a suspect, but he's yet to b_e _apprehended, and therefore you have no client. This is all a complete waste of your time. _

Abandoning Phoenix's two eager subordinates, Edgeworth approached the private office and hesitantly pushed open the door, clearing his throat politely as he entered to warn Phoenix that he was on his way in.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw the state the office was in. There were papers strewn everywhere; all over the desk, and all over the floor. Notebooks lay open on top of other notebooks, and the wall behind the desk was covered with pinned newspaper and magazine clippings, all featuring pictures of Iago Bleek in the witness stand, or handcuffed behind bars at the detention center.

Phoenix himself was seated cross-legged in the middle of the floor with a large blue legal binder his lap. His shirt was half-untucked, as though he'd dressed without much thought, and for a long time he seemed totally oblivious to Edgeworth's presence.

"Phoenix," muttered Edgeworth eventually. "What nonsense is this?"

Without looking up, Phoenix waved a hand vaguely at one pile of papers.

"I'm going back through my old notes of the Bleek case," he mumbled distractedly. "They're all here. I've even got the articles they wrote about him while he was on trial. I'm trying to figure out where I went wrong."

Edgeworth sighed. "This is preposterous," he muttered. "We've been through this more than once already. There's no reason to believe that you ever made a mistake. We've uncovered no new evidence that Iago Bleek was guilty of Darcy Dobler's murder."

Phoenix slammed the binder shut, and finally looked up at Edgeworth out of slightly bloodshot eyes.

"Why, then?" He shook his head. "Why is he killing people? If he was so innocent to begin with, then none of this makes any sense. What reason could he possibly have to be murdering witnesses to a crime he didn't commit?"

"Revenge, very likely." Edgeworth shrugged. "Perhaps he resents them for being willing to testify against him in the first place. That is, of course, only one possibility. No doubt the man suffers from some sort of mental aberration, in which case his motive may be incredibly difficult to determine without a professional medical examination. For all we know, the present string of murders may have no actual connection to the Dobler death."

"You don't really think that," retorted Phoenix belligerently. "There's no way you expect me to believe it, either. This is all too perfect to be a coincidence."

Edgeworth couldn't argue with that, and instead, he said nothing.

"Gah," mumbled Phoenix, shaking his head and running both hands distractedly through his hair. "I must have missed something in the evidence, the first time around. I must have overlooked something, or read something the wrong way. If only I could just-!"

"It doesn't matter," interrupted Edgeworth quietly.

"What?" Phoenix stared up at him. "What do you mean, 'it doesn't matter?' of course it matters!"

Edgeworth shook his head. "Not anymore. There's no longer any point in discussing whether Bleek was or was not guilty of Darcy Dobler's murder. That case is closed, and for better or for worse, it's behind us. Going back over it again and again is a ludicrous waste of your time."

Phoenix's eyes narrowed. "How can you say that? I made a mistake, and because of that mistake, people are dying! I-!"

"There are more important things for us to be worrying about at the moment," interrupted Edgeworth. "A more immediate and pressing problem presents itself."

"What?" Phoenix rubbed unhappily at his right temple. "What problem?"

"Maya," murmured Edgeworth. "If you'll stop feeling sorry for yourself long enough o consider the situation rationally, you'll remember that Maya gave testimony at Bleek's trial. She was a witness, Phoenix, and therefore, based on our current assumptions about the pattern of the killings, she's in some considerable danger."

For a moment, Phoenix sat staring at Edgeworth with his mouth hanging open. Then his face went white.

"M-Maya," he mumbled. "Maya!"

Jumping to his feet, he threw the binder to the floor.

"Where is she? She never came back to the apartment last night." He took a deep breath. "I'll call her cell. Wait, where…where did I leave my cell phone?"

Frantically, Phoenix hurried over to the desk and began rummaging through the drawers, pushing papers aside and letting them fall unheeded to the already littered floor as he searched for his phone.

"Here," suggested Edgeworth, offering his own phone. "Use mine."

Without pausing for thanks, Phoenix snatched the phone out of Edgeworth's hand and began dialing Maya's number. They both waited with baited breath as the phone rang once, twice, then three times before someone finally picked up.

"Maya," demanded Phoenix before she'd even had a chance to say hello. "Are you all right?"

"Sorry, pal," said the voice of Detective Gumshoe on the other end of the line. "It's just me. I told Maya not to answer the phone."

"What?" Phoenix blinked. "Why?"

"Uh, well, you never know who might be calling," replied Gumshoe.

Edgeworth gently took the phone from Phoenix. "Then, Maya is with you," he said.

"Oh," mumbled Gumshoe, "Mr. Edgeworth, it's you. Uh, yeah, she's with me. One of the guys called to tell me about what happened to that poor old lady. I figured things weren't looking good for witnesses at the Bleek trial, so I came right over. We're at Kurain village, and Pearl's here, too. Actually, we were just talking about ordering a pizza."

"A...pizza?" Phoenix looked a little dazed.

"Well, I can't cook," explained Gumshoe apologetically, "and I don't think it's a good idea for us to go wandering around in town, so I figure-!"

"That's fine, Detective," interrupted Edgeworth. "Thank you for acting so quickly. Please, if you can, stay with Maya and Pearl until Wright and I are able to join you, we'd be very grateful."

"Sure thing, pal," said Gumshoe. "Like I said, if I left now, I'd miss out on the pizza. We'll be waiting for you, but no rush. After all, I don't think I've seen Pearly in almost a year. This is my chance to catch up."

_He's a reliable man_, _our Detective Gumshoe, _thought Edgeworth as he hung up the phone. _A bit scatterbrained, perhaps, and prone to occasional fits of over-emotional rule breaking, but no doubt a good man at heart. This isn't the first time that he's stepped in just at the right moment. We owe him a great deal; perhaps more than I've ever allowed myself to realize. _

"Phoenix," he began, and then turned aroundto find that Phoenix had slumped back into his desk chair, and was now staring blankly at the far office wall.

"Maya is going to be just fine," said Edgeworth. "She's perfectly safe with Detective Gumshoe."

Phoenix just nodded. "Yeah," he mumbled. "Yeah, I know."

There was a long moment of uncomfortable silence while they both listened to the sounds of early morning traffic just outside the office window.

"So," asked Phoenix dully. "What do we do, now?"

_If only I knew, _thought Edgeworth miserably. _I'm afraid there's nothing we can do, now, but wait. _

"I smell terrible," muttered Phoenix unexpectedly.

Edgeworth blinked. "You what?"

"I haven't showered or anything," explained Phoenix. "Uh, sorry. I feel…disgusting."

That last word was a laden one, full of all sorts of perhaps unintended meanings, and Edgeworth sighed.

"Very well, then," he said. "In that case, what we do next is relatively obvious. You will return home and prepare yourself a shower, and in the meantime, I will procure something to eat. No doubt Mr. Justice and Ms. Cykes are in a similarly rushed and harried state, and so after we've gotten Maya and Pearl safely to the office, perhaps we shall have breakfast together."

Phoenix opened his mouth as if to protest, but then shut it again without saying a word.

"Go," insisted Edgeworth firmly. "I will call and arrange for Detective Gumshoe to escort Maya here to us."

Nodding dumbly, Phoenix got to his feet, cast one last, harried glance at the mess of papers all over the floor, then turned and headed out of the office.

Edgeworth was left alone, still holding his cell phone in one hand. From the photographs and clippings on the wall, several innocent and vaguely puzzled-looking images of Iago Bleek watched him out of big, wide blue eyes.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **My computer is still barely working, and it took me almost six hours to write this due to difficulties with my keyboard.

Again, please be patient with the ridiculous typos.

I promise that I will solve this problem as I possibly can.


	49. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Eight

**Author's Note: ** Hmm, so the format of this story has turned out a bit differently than I'd originally expected. Still, so far I think it's working out all right. It's not quite as linear as I'd planned, but I think I'm okay with that. What are your thoughts on the matter?

Good news, though: I've finally finished plotting out the entire series, to the bitter finish! I know how the story ends, and I know exactly how many chapters and how many sequels/installments it's going to take! That feels like a major accomplishment. I'm proud of myself, even if I'm still infuriated by this terrible computer.

Still, technical difficulties or not, we shall soldier on!

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Just a Matter of Trust**

**September 30, 2029**

**10:00 PM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

Late that evening, Phoenix found that he couldn't keep still. His head was still a mess, and every time he let his mind wander for a moment he ended up picturing the white, lifeless faces of the two women witnesses who'd been so recently murdered by his innocent client.

He went for a walk down to the corner store, ostensibly to buy a few groceries, but really just to stretch his legs and to try to shake off some of his anxious energy. Before he'd even made it to the store, however, he found himself turning around and heading back to the apartment building, uncomfortable and unwilling to leave his family alone for too long while a murderer was on the loose in his town.

Edgeworth, Maya, Pearl, Trucy and Detective Gumshoe were all seated on the sofa when Phoenix arrived, apparently intently focused on an old episode of "The Steel Samurai" that Maya had insisted they watch. Trucy, Pearl and Maya were all laughing at something silly that a character had just said, and even Gumshoe looked like he was having a good time.

For just a moment, Phoenix stood and watched them, feeling strangely disconnected, like he was looking at them from very, very far away. There was a lump in his throat that he could neither dislodge nor explain, and his face felt odd and stiff, as though it belonged to someone else. Everything was somehow wrong, and he couldn't bring himself to join the others in front of the TV. Instead, he crossed as quietly as he could behind it and headed for his own bedroom door.

Just before stepping into his own room, Phoenix glanced back at the sofa and briefly met Edgeworth's eyes. Edgeworth raised an eyebrow, and Phoenix just shook his head, turned around, and closed the bedroom door behind him.

A few weeks before, he'd moved his keyboard out of the living room and up against the bedroom wall, in order to avoid disturbing Trucy while she studied. He sat down in front of it, now, and placed his hands on the keyboard without any particular idea of what he was going to play.

Phoenix knew that he would never be a great piano player. He'd probably never even be a passable one, and the little songs that he played to amuse himself would never really be concert-worthy. He was still pleased when he managed to play "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" without making any significant mistakes, and that should have been embarrassing, but it wasn't. Music gave him peace, even if it was only just a little bit of music that no one else would ever be able to hear.

_Besides, _he thought, with an odd mixture of pride and bitterness. _Apparently Maggey used to like to hear me play. At least…that's what Gumshoe says. _

He banged away at the keyboard for a few minutes, running through some of his favorite little songs and ignoring the mistakes and missteps. After a few minutes, the images of Maggey and Ms. Spine's faces in his head began to fade as he tried forcing himself to focus on playing accurately, which didn't come easily to him.

Caught up in his task, Phoenix didn't notice when the bedroom door opened behind him.

"Phoenix," said Edgeworth. "Everyone is asking for you."

Phoenix shrugged. "Why? It looks like you're all having a perfectly good time without me."

_After all, _he thought, _I'm the man who freed the murderer, remember? I'm well on my way to becoming the 'demon defense attorney.' Your title's in jeopardy, Miles. They're probably better off without my company. _

"You're behaving like a child," said Edgeworth quietly, without malice. "These people are your guests."

Phoenix spun around in his seat and glared at Edgeworth.

"What," he asked, "is wrong with you? You're acting like we're having some kind of party. This isn't a social event. Maya's here because someone might be trying to murder her and Gumshoe's here because he wants a piece of the man who killed his wife."

"True," agreed Edgeworth, "and yet-!"

"Oh, and I'm the guy who let the murderer out," continued Phoenix bitterly. "None of this would be happening it hadn't been for what I did, and you want me to go out there and play party host? What am I supposed to say, Miles? 'Hey, guys, I'm so sorry that I ruined all of your lives. Want a club soda?'"

He could feel his face getting hot, and his hands were now shaking in his lap.

Edgeworth said nothing, and only raised an eyebrow at him.

"I…s-sorry," mumbled Phoenix, aware that he was making an ass of himself. "I'm just…gah."

"I know," replied Edgeworth. "It's understandable, but you forget; these people whom you claim to have hurt are your friends. As I have often been told, there is a certain level of forgiveness that we grant to friends. I have no doubt that they've already forgiven you the trespasses that you can't seem to forgive yourself."

Phoenix sighed. "Yeah," he muttered. "Yeah, I know. Sheesh, Miles, when did you become an advocate for the social graces?"

Unexpectedly, Edgeworth almost smiled. "Yes," he agreed. "That is rather strange, isn't it? This is an unusual conversation. We seem to have had something of a turnabout in our states of mind."

_And if Miles is giving me relationship advice, _thought Phoenix, _then I must really have lost it._

"It's just…" He frowned, trying to find the right words. "I feel wrong. Everything, everything just feels wrong. I can't remember the last time I was this confused, Miles. It's like everything I've ever believed about people and the law is suddenly and obviously false. There's new evidence, now, and I have to rethink everything. I'm not sure how I feel. I'm…I'm confused."

Again, Edgeworth said nothing, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Edgeworth's calming presence in the conversation made Phoenix feel just a little bit less alone.

"I've spent my whole life and career knowing that being a lawyer meant believing in my client," Phoenix went on slowly. "It's the first thing that Mia ever taught me, and maybe the most important thing I've ever learned. A lawyer always believes in his client, and trust is always the basis of a strong attorney-client relationship. Without that trust, an attorney's just a good liar with stage presence. With it, he's a man on a mission, or maybe even a hero."

"Hah," murmured Edgeworth. "Perhaps 'hero' might be an overstatement. Let's not get carried away. The law has no time for nonsensical heroics."

Phoenix dismissed that with a shake of the head. "You know what I mean," he insisted. "I've always relied on the bond of trust that I have with my clients, but…I mean, obviously that trust was misplaced, here. Was I wrong to trust Bleek, and if so, how was I supposed to know? Where did I go wrong, and when was the moment that I should have realized that he didn't deserve that trust? Have I been trusting blindly all my life? How many other guilty clients have I gotten acquitted because I was so attached to that ideal of trust? I'm…I mean, obviously nobody can answer any of that, but I'm…I'm having a hard time not thinking about it. What if my whole career has been one big misguided mess, based on naive ideals that I learned as a twenty-six year old rookie? If that's the case, then…where do we go from here?"

He buried his face in his hands, exhausted from too much thinking and aware that Edgeworth couldn't possibly have any of the answers he needed and knew he wouldn't find.

It was several long moments before Edgeworth finally spoke, and when he did it was in that same calm, quiet voice that should have irritated Phoenix, but somehow didn't.

"Do you remember," asked Edgeworth, "the trial of Matt Engarde?"

Phoenix nodded. "Of course I do. That's the only other time I've ever defended a guilty client, uh, I think. At least we figured it out before things got out of hand."

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth. "And, do you remember what I asked you to do, then?"

"Huh? What you asked me?" Phoenix tried to remember. "No, sorry. It was kind of a really long time ago."

"Ah, well," murmured Edgeworth. "Perhaps I've phrased it poorly. At that time, in order to bring that man to justice and to rescue Maya, I asked you to trust me. Do you remember?"

_Right, _thought Phoenix. _Without Edgeworth, I'd never have pulled off saving Maya and getting Engarde accused at the same time. _

"You're right to believe that justice and trust go inevitably hand in hand," continued Edgeworth. "To a certain extent, none of us can function without a certain level of trusting vulnerability. Justice cannot occur in a vacuum. We do not operate alone."

Reaching out , he placed a hand on Phoenix's shoulder, and Phoenix drew strength from the contact.

"Despite everything that has occurred," said Edgeworth, "and despite any alleged betrayal of Iago Bleek, know that that you are surrounded by people in whom it's safe to place your trust. Many of them are presently in the living room. I intend to rejoin them."

Releasing Phoenix's shoulder, Edgeworth turned around and headed for the bedroom door.

"I hope," he said over his shoulder as he left, "that you will also be joining us, soon."

With that he left, and Phoenix sat alone for several long moments in front of the keyboard, remembering the case of Matt Engarde and considering the matter of trust.

_He's right, _he thought, shaking his head. _I guess, in that respect, I'm a pretty lucky guy. Maya,_ _Pearl, __Gumshoe, Trucy and Miles have always been there to pick me up and to help bail me out of the tight spots. They need me, now. This isn't over. They're relying on me to help them find Bleek and finish this, and I can't keep stewing and moaning to myself. They believe in me; I have to earn back that trust. _

Nodding slowly to himself, Phoenix got up from the keyboard, and turned around to find that Maya was now standing uncertainly in the doorway.

"Um, hey, Nick," she said, chewing unhappily on her lip. "Can I, uh…ask you something?"

"Huh? Oh, sure," said Phoenix. "Come on in."

He sat back down on the bench, and Maya took a seat on the floor beside him.

"What's up?" He frowned. "Are you doing okay? Look, I know this is all probably really scary, but I promise you, Maya, we'd never let-!"

"Oh, no," interrupted Maya, shaking her head. "I'm not scared. I mean, I've been in much worse situations before, right? It's kinda crazy the number of times that people have tried to kill me. This is sort of old news, you know?"

Phoenix winced. _Well y_eah, _I guess she has a point, there, although that's definitely not a good thing._

"No," she insisted, "I, um, actually wanted to ask you about something totally different."

Phoenix waited, but Maya seemed uncharacteristically confused and hesitant.

"Uh…so," she began eventually, fiddling with the hem of her channeling robes. "Nick, um…what does love feel like?"

_Wha…WHAT? _Phoenix stared.

"I mean," continued Maya, frowning thoughtfully, "how do you know if you're in love with someone? Like, is there some kind of sign, or tell, or anything, or is it one of those things where you wake up one morning and you just know? Does it go away by itself, or is there something you have to do to get rid of it, like, some sicknesses just get better with time, but you need special expensive medicine for other ones. Which is love?"

Phoenix's mouth fell open in surprise. "Wha…what are you talking about? Who are you in love with?"

Maya's cheeks went slightly pink, and she glared. "No, you've got it all wrong! I'm not in love with anyone! It's a simple, hypothetical question, Nick! Sheesh."

_Seems awfully specific for a hypothetical question, _thought Phoenix. _Where is this coming from all of a sudden?_

"I, uh…honestly, I'm not sure how to answer that question," he said slowly. "You should get Athena on the subject. She's got some pretty big ideas about love."

Maya just shook her head. "Nope. You're the one in the long-term, committed relationship, remember? If there's anybody around here who knows what love is, I figure it has to be you. Oh, and we're talking about romantic love, by the way, not any of the other kinds. I know what those are all about. I'm asking how you know when you've fallen in love with someone, like, into that kind of fairytale love that makes you want to kiss like the big stars do in Hollywood movies and run through fields singing about how in love you are, and…stuff like that."

_Running through fields…singing? What kind of movies does she watch when I'm not around, anyway? _ Phoenix sighed.

"Okay,_" _he said. "Sure, I mean, I'll give it a try, for you. Love, huh? How do you know when you're in love?"

_It hasn't been that long since I was asking myself that question, _thought Phoenix, remembering the months of painful back-and-forth that he and Edgeworth had endured while they tried to sort out their complicated feelings for one another.

He thought about what had happened only a few minutes before, when Edgeworth had followed him into his bedroom to chastise him for refusing to be appropriately social. He should have been frustrated with Edgeworth then, for condescending and speaking to him like a child. If it had been anyone else he'd probably have shut the door in their face, but everything, of course, was different when it came to Edgeworth.

"You know you're in love," began Phoenix hesitantly, "when someone's little quirks and obnoxious habits don't bother you the way you know they should."

Maya nodded eagerly. "Like, when someone makes really complicated and long-winded coffee metaphors all the time that don't make sense, but it's okay because you're used to it."

"Yea-wait, what?" Phoenix blinked.

"Nevermind," insisted Maya, shaking her head. "Anyway, go on."

"Um…" Phoenix frowned and wracked his brains some more. "Well, I guess you know it's love when you can stand being around the person, even when you want to be alone."

For some reason, Maya seemed particularly excited about that one. "Well that's…that's good, I think," she said. "Yeah, that sounds really good!"

_What exactly is going on here, _wondered Phoenix. _This is sounding less and less hypothetical by the second._

"Come on," insisted Maya, "tell me more!"

Phoenix rubbed wearily at his right temple.

"Look, Maya," he said, "there's no easy, obvious answer to your question, or if there is, I don't know it. I'm not all that experienced at this, honestly. Um…have you ever heard that saying about being a lawyer? It's the one that goes 'If you can possibly stop being a lawyer, then do so, because you definitely aren't meant to be a lawyer."

Maya blinked. "Huh? I've never heard that before."

"It means something like, if you're able to resist doing something, you probably aren't destined to do it," explained Phoenix, hoping that he was right about that. "Anyway, that's what love is. If you can possibly resist the other person, then it probably isn't love. If you can't, then it might be love. Does that make sense?"

Phoenix could now hear Edgeworth's voice in the back of his mind, saying the very same words that he'd said the time he'd shown up half-dressed on Phoenix's doorstep in the middle of the night.

"_Despite my best efforts," _he remembered Edgeworth saying then, _I have always been unable to refute your arguments. You remain undefeated, even now. _

"Yeah," said Phoenix, nodding to himself. "It's love when you're out of objections, even if all the evidence is telling you it's a bad idea."

He looked up at Maya, who was now frowning at him.

"So…that's it?" She didn't exactly look satisfied. "That's the best you can do?"

"What?" Phoenix threw up his hands. "What do you want from me? I'm not some kind of romance guru. What's all this about, anyway? You're starting to make me nervous."

Ignoring him, Maya sighed.

"Oh well," she said. "I mean, I guess legal metaphors are better than coffee metaphors. Thanks, Nick."

She got up off the floor, brushed off her skirt, and then headed for the door.

"Hey," began Phoenix. "Wait, I'm not finished with you. Maya-!"

"We can talk more later," Maya interrupted. "I don't want to miss the last episode! Detective Gumshoe's never seen it before, so this is gonna be a lot of fun!"

_Really_, thought Phoenix, _you're on the last episode already? Where did you start?_

"Well," asked Maya_, _planting both hands on her hips. "Are you coming, or not?"

She headed out into the hallway, and Phoenix had to hurry to catch up.

**Fin. **

* * *

**Author's End Note: **I had a little more luck with the keyboard, this time. Huzzah!

Here's a reader response question, purely for fun:

Which Ace Attorney character do you think you would trust the most, and why? **  
**

Which of our heros do you think would be the most untrustworthy? (convicted criminals and villains don't count!)


	50. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Nine

**Author's Note: **I've made myself a promise that I'm going to update every single day this week, Monday through Friday! Let's see if I can do it.

I'm also going to make the "reader response question" a regular thing, just for fun. I'll put a new question at the end of every chapter, because I'm terminally social and the discussions I've been having with people so far about some of these questions are really great!

Please, never feel obligated to answer them. They're just for fun, honestly.

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**Chapter Nine: Stand By Me – Part One**

**October 1, 2029**

**The Offices of the Wright Anything Agency**

**3:00 PM**

The next day, Phoenix returned to the office to continue pursuing his investigation of Iago Bleek.

He went through a transcript of the trial that Detective Gumshoe had managed to provide him from the archives in the Criminal Affairs department, hoping to find some clue as to where Bleek might be hiding out, now. Unfortunately, Bleek had barely said a word of his own during the trial, and so Phoenix was forced to rely on the testimonies of various others about Bleek's movements.

_None of these people seem to have known him before the murder took place, _he mused. _What I really need is to find some members of Bleek's family, some personal friends or even some former clients or business associates who might have some idea of where he'd go or what he' do if we was in a tight corner. I mean, of course the police have gone over most of the stuff already, but there's obviously something we're all missing. _

Detective Gumshoe had taken Maya and Pearl down to the Criminal Affairs department that morning, since it wasn't safe to leave Maya alone, and Pearl wasn't willing to leave Maya's side.

_I'll go have another talk with him, _decided Phoenix, getting to his feet. _Maybe he can give me a list of Bleek's contacts, people the police have already looked into. Lots of people aren't willing to talk to the police, but they might be willing to talk to me. After all, I'm Bleek's defense attorney. I'm…well, I'm supposed to be on his . _

Trying not to let the question of disloyalty get too much under his skin, Phoenix got up, closed down his computer and started towards the door.

As he was heading out of the office, however, his cell phone began to ring in his pocket, and he stopped to pull it out and answer it.

"Daddy," shrieked Trucy excitedly on the other end of the line. "Daddy, I've got great news!"

"Oh, good," said Phoenix. "I could use some 'great news.' What's up?"

"I got an email," announced Trucy, "from an admissions department in Boston! The Towsend-Turner College of Theatrical Arts is interested in me! They want me to come in for an interview next week!"

"The…what?" Phoenix blinked.

_Boston? _Something twinged unpleasantly in Phoenix's chest. _That's...well, it's pretty far away from here. When did she start applying to schools in Boston? _

"It's only October," Phoenix reminded her. "Isn't it a little early for you start hearing from colleges?"

Phoenix could almost hear Trucy's little shrug. "Yeah, but who cares? I guess they liked me enough that they were willing to start thinking about my admission even earlier than usual!"

"And," Phoenix went on, frowning, "I'm not so sure about this school. The Townsend-Something College of Theater? I've never heard the name before."

"The Townsend-Turner College of Theatrical Arts," Trucy corrected him. "They have one of the only majors in Magic and Deception in the whole country! I can't believe you've never heard of them; they're really well known!"

_Yeah, well, that's not really my field, _thought Phoenix. _I mean, I can't know everything. Cut your old Daddy some slack. _

"So," asked Trucy. "Can I go? Can I go to Boston for the interview?"

Phoenix sighed and scratched at the back of his head. "Uh, well, maybe? Can we talk about it when you get home?"

"Sure! No problem! You're the best, Daddy," said Trucy.

_Hey, _thought Phoenix, _I haven't said yes, yet. I only promised that we'd talk…_

"I'll be home in a couple of hours," Trucy was saying. "See you later, Daddy!"

She hung up before Phoenix even had a chance to finish saying goodbye.

_Boston, _he though miserably, sinking back into his desk chair. _There really isn't anything closer? It seems kind of strange that California, home state of the famous Troupe Gramarye doesn't have its own Magic major. What did she call it? 'Magic and Deception?' Why the 'Deception,' part? I don't think I want my daughter studying 'deception…' _

Glumly, he glanced out the window at the traffic-choked streets and sidewalks below, feeling old and irrationally lonely at the prospect of sending his eighteen-year-old, fully independent daughter off to college in another state.

_This is what's supposed to happen, though, _he reminded himself. _Right? She's supposed to grow up, go off and do her own thing. Actually, Trucy's pretty much been doing her own thing since we met, so it's not like this will be anything really new. This time, she's just doing her own thing a little farther away. Or…okay, maybe a lot farther away. Anyway, being farther away from me will probably just encourage her to be more self-sufficient, right? And that's…that's good. _

He pulled out his wallet, and pushed aside a few coupons and supermarket card to find the photograph he always carried around of Trucy, age eight, dressed up in her favorite silk hat and grinning confidently up at him out of big, blue, glossy eyes. He couldn't remember how many times he'd looked at that photo over the years, and that smiling face had saved him from dark and lonely trips down memory lane more times than he cared to count.

_Maybe I'm the one who needs to be more self sufficient, _he thought, sighing to himself. _Parenting…I wonder if I'll ever get the hang of it? _

Out in the hallway, a key turned in the lock and the front door swung audibly open. After a moment, someone knocked on the door to Phoenix's private office.

"Come on in," he called.

Edgeworth stepped in and closed the door behind him, looking tired and very slightly more disheveled than usual.

"Good afternoon," he said, nodding politely. "Forgive me; I'm a bit earlier than I had intended. I trust that it's not too inconvenient."

Phoenix smiled.

_Well, _he thought, _I guess maybe it's not so bad after all. Sure, it'll be sad without Trucy around, but at least I won't be alone. _

"Nah," he said. "It's not inconvenient at all. Actually, I'm glad you're here. I wanted to pick your brain about something."

Edgeworth sighed. "It will have to be quick. I find myself unexpectedly engaged for the evening."

"Oh, yeah?" Phoenix frowned. "Got a hot date?"

Edgeworth just raised an eyebrow and gave him a rueful sort of half-smile. "No, not as far as I'm aware, unless that was an invitation."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper, scowled at it, and handed it to Phoenix.

"I received it this morning," he explained. "It's a summons to a celebratory dinner this evening at the Gatewater, thrown by local government officials in honor, apparently, of the 'hard work and diligence' displayed over the past few months by both police and prosecutor's departments. We were forced to cease our investigation early today in order to ensure that everyone would have time to prepare for the dinner, which is, of course, completely preposterous." He shook his head. "We are in the midst of a murder investigation. This is no time for a social function."

"Last night," Phoenix reminded him, "you were the one encouraging me to be social."

Edgeworth wagged an admonitory finger at him. "That," he countered, "was a completely different situation. We had invited guests. You were being reclusive and self-pitying for no reason whatsoever."

_No comment about the bad piano playing, _thought Phoenix. _Maybe I'm getting a little better after all._

"This," continued Edgeworth, "is something else entirely. This dinner interrupts an in-progress investigation, and I can't imagine that anyone in either department feels as though they wish to celebrate at the moment, so soon after the death of one of their own."

Phoenix winced. "Is Detective Gumshoe invited?"

"Yes," replied Edgeworth, "of course. I'm certain he won't attend, but I have no choice. As the Chief Prosecutor, my presence will be expected." He glared at the offending invitation, then sighed. "I have no patience for this. Honestly, I'm extremely tired. I had looked forward to a quiet evening, but even the best laid plans of mice and men so often go astray."

"Hey," interrupted Phoenix, "are you allowed to bring a plus one?"

"What?" Edgeworth blinked." Yes, I suppose so. I can't imagine they'd refuse me that."

"Great," said Phoenix. "Then I'll come with you."

Edgeworth looked surprised. "I'd…hate to impose," he said. "No doubt you also had other plans for this evening."

"Yeah, well," returned Phoenix, shrugging, "I was planning to ask you out to dinner, as a kind of thanks for being so patient with me last night. This actually works out pretty well."

Edgeworth coughed. "No thanks are required," he muttered. "You were distraught, as any man with a good conscience would be. It's understandable."

"I mean," said Phoenix, "I won't go if you don't want me to."

"Preposterous," muttered Edgeworth, shaking his head. "I'd welcome the company. People will, of course, talk."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix, "but people always talk. Why should that bother me? I was beaten to within an inch of my life a few months ago. Compared to that, what's a few dirty looks?"

Edgeworth winced, and cleared his throat. "You don't have to remind me," he mumbled. "That episode has replaced its juvenile predecessor in my nightmares."

"Hey," said Phoenix, "come on, we've been through this. I'm fine, now. It's all over. My back doesn't even twinge anymore."

"You're lying," Edgeworth said, pointing an accusing finger. "I heard you moaning in your sleep just the other night. Your injuries still pain you, even if you insist on being too much of a stoic to express it in public. I'm no fool. I have noticed it on several occasions."

Phoenix shook his head." I have no idea what you're talking about," he protested innocently, and then he leaned in to kiss Edgeworth, intending to catch the other man off guard. Edgeworth, however, was ready for him, and he gripped Phoenix shoulders, pulling him deeper into what quickly became a fierce and breathless kiss.

Eventually Phoenix broke away, flushed and grinning to himself.

"Wow," he said appreciatively.

Edgeworth, whose cheeks were also a bit red, carefully re-adjusted his cravat.

"Very well, then," announced Edgeworth. "I'll pick you up from the apartment at seven o'clock."

"I can walk to the Gatewater," Phoenix reminded him. "It'd probably be easier if I just met you there."

Edgeworth shook his head. "I'll be happy to drive you," he insisted. "Please plan to be ready at seven. We'll attract significantly less comment and attention if we arrive early."

"Oh, come on," insisted Phoenix. "Haven't you ever heard of being 'fashionably late?'"

"I'd rather be inconspicuous than fashionable," retorted Edgeworth. "I'll see you at seven, Phoenix."

For several minutes after Edgeworth left, Phoenix sat at his desk, blissfully thinking of Edgeworth and wondering if he had a clean suit to wear to dinner.

_Maya might actually enjoy this, _he thought, frowning. _It's a shame she can't come. Or…wait, actually, that's not a bad idea. I wonder if I could talk Gumshoe into bringing Maya along? A hotel ballroom full of police officers and prosecutors is probably one of the safest places on the planet, so there's no way that Bleek would try anything during the dinner. It'd be a lot less dangerous for Maya there than back home at the apartment with just Gumshoe and Pearl. _

He was just picking up his phone to try calling Gumshoe and suggesting the idea when the front door creaked open a second time. Phoenix heard heavy, frantic footsteps in the living room, and then the door to his private office was flung unceremoniously open to reveal the pale, sweaty and desperate face of Larry Butz.

"Nick," gasped Larry, running over and grabbing on to Phoenix's lapels. "Oh, man, am I glad to see you! You have to help me, buddy! I'm in trouble, and I mean, in deep trouble! Aw, Nick, I don't know what I'm going to do! She's innocent, I tell you, innocent, but is anybody gonna believe me? Not a chance! Nobody ever takes me seriously, but this time I am dead, totally and completely serious! I'm serious about her, Nick, and if you don't do something they're gonna lock her up and put her away forever! You have to tell 'em, Nick! Tell 'em she didn't kill anyone!"

"Whoa, hey, Larry!" Phoenix shook Larry off, and took a step back. "Slow down! I have no idea what you're talking about. Who is 'she,' and who didn't she kill? Take a deep breath, and try to tell me actual details, in order, this time."

Dutifully, Larry took a deep, dramatic, shuddering breath.

"It's Jelanda," he explained miserably. "You know, my wife, Jelanda?"

_Wow, _thought Phoenix. _You two are still married? I'd…never have guessed. That's definitely a record. _

"She's a bartender at 'All Dolled Up' on fourth street," he went on. "I mean, she only just got the job last week, but it's a great gig with good pay."

_Bartending does tend to be pretty lucrative, _thought Phoenix. _If I remember correctly, though, Larry, you've been unemployed for months. Poor Jelanda's probably working extra shifts to support you both on that salary. _

"Anyway," continued Larry, "she went in early today to help train a new employee, but when she got there, she found her boss lying dead on the counter! Somebody had stabbed him through the chest with half of a broken vodka bottle, and this new employee never showed up for training! The police are going to think that Jelanda did it, Nick! She was the first on the scene, and she knows where they keep the vodka! She looks guilty as hell, even though I know that my Jelanda would never hurt a fly. You gotta help me, Nick. Please, you gotta!"

Larry looked like he might start to cry at any moment. Phoenix took a pencil and paper from the top drawer of his desk, and scribbled down a few notes.

"How," he asked, "do you know all this?"

"She texted me about it while she was waiting for the police to show up," replied Larry. "She's probably sitting at home freaking out right now! My poor little Jelly…"

Phoenix paused. "Wait," he said, "so they haven't taken her down to the detention center?"

"What? No, no way!" Larry shook his head. "I mean, it only happened an hour ago! They asked her a few questions and then they sent her home and told her not to leave town. Why can't she leave town, Nick? I tell you, Jelly's not a killer!"

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _Sounds like the police don't think much of her as a killer, either._

"Larry," he said patiently, doing his best not to look as annoyed as he felt, "If the police thought that Jelanda was guilty, they'd have taken her in for questioning already. You say they just let her go home. I mean, I probably shouldn't make you any promises, but it doesn't sound like you have anything to worry about. They don't seem very interested in her as a suspect."

Larry blinked. "You…you really think so, Nick? You wouldn't say something like that if you didn't mean it, would you?"

Phoenix sighed.

"Larry," he insisted, taking Larry gently by the shoulder and steering him back towards the office door. "I really couldn't say. All we know right now is that the police haven't arrested your wife, and if they really thought she was a murderer, they'd have done that already. She's probably going to be just fine."

"But," insisted Larry, "what if they change their minds? What if they come for her in the middle of the night and drag her away from me, Nick? What if-?"

"In that case," interrupted Phoenix smoothly, "I'll step in to help. Okay? If the police arrest your wife, you come straight back to the office and we'll talk about what the next step should be. For now, though, you should probably just go home and make sure that's she's okay. She just found a body. She might be in shock. She probably needs you, right about now."

Larry was nodding thoughtfully. "Good point," he mumbled. "Yeah…yeah, you're right. I'm her man, her knight in shining armor! I should be there for her at a time like this! She's probably sitting at home, freaking out and pining for me, waiting for me to come home and make it all better." There was now a vaguely lascivious glint in Larry's eye that made Phoenix feel just a touch queasy.

"Thanks Nick," said Larry, grinning, apparently all of his doubts already dispelled. "Man, I sure feel a lot better, now."

"Im glad," muttered Phoenix, shaking his head.

"But," insisted Larry, pointing a finger, "I'm gonna hold you to what you said! If my Jelanda needs help, you'd better step up! That's what friends are for, right?"

Once Larry had finally found his way out, Phoenix sat back down at his desk and took a deep breath.

_I have no idea what that woman was thinking, _he told himself. _Seriously, who in her right mind would marry the Butz? If she really did kill her employer, I'm sure she could get off on a plea of insanity. That'd be the easiest case to prove. Nobody on Earth could refute it. _

Phoenix's watched beeped, and he glanced down to see that it was now exactly four o'clock.

_Trucy'll be home soon, _he thought, _and I have to do something about my hair before Edgeworth shows up. Better get going._

**Fin.**

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**Author's End Note: **I'm doing my best to get back into the swing of updating this story every day, since I know that the really improves the reading experience for some people (myself included.)

I will do the very best that I can.

In the meantime, here's our daily discussion question:

**Of all the Ace Attorney characters, which one do you think would throw the best party? **

And, as always, I really might/probably will consider this for a chapter or a one-shot fic at some point.


	51. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Ten

**Author's Note: **Chapter ten! We made it to Chapter Ten! I'm excited. Are you excited?

Thank you so much for reading this far, and for being such amazing, patient, delightful and inspiring readers and conversation partners. This has been so much funf or me to write, and honestly, that's mostly because of how wonderful you are. I mean that!

This will be Tuesday's update. Monday, check! Tuesday, check! Wednesday and Thursday will be hard days to update, but I will manage it!

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**Chapter Ten: Stand By Me – Part Two**

**October 1, 2029**

**7:10 PM**

**The Gatewater Hotel Ballroom**

A little bit after seven o'clock, Phoenix and Edgeworth strode into the ballroom of the Gatewater hotel.

"Ah, Mr. Wright, Chief Prosecutor," murmured Adrian Andrews, smiling as she looked up from a bouquet of flowers that she was arranging in the middle of a large buffet table. "It's a pleasure to see both of you again."

"Ms. Andrews," said Edgeworth, inclining his head.

"They've got you working for the Gatewater full time, now, huh?" Phoenix grinned. "Good for you."

Adrian looked pleased. "Yes, it's been…quite a relief," she admitted. "It's nice to have steady work, and the new manager is a very reasonable, pleasant person to work with."

_I'm glad to hear it, _thought Phoenix. _It must have been hard for you when the previous manager was arrested a few months ago. Somehow, I always seem to make your life more complicated. _

"Most of the guests haven't arrived yet," said Adrian, "but you're welcome to sample the buffet. I'm sure everyone will be here, soon."

Edgeworth took a plate from the end of the table, and Phoenix took the opportunity to glance around the room.

Although Edgeworth had been exactly as punctual as always, he, Phoenix and Adrian weren't the only ones who'd decided to show up early. Standing by a table in the far left corner of the room, Klavier Gavin and Detective Ema Skye seemed to be engaged in a heated conversation about something. Ema was munching angrily from a bag of chocolate snackoos while Klavier grinned a dazzling, flawless grin at her that Phoenix knew would probably only infuriate her more.

"Hey, Ema," called Phoenix, heading over in their direction. "How's the investigation going?"

Ema turned instantly away from Gavin, looking relieved at the intervention. "Oh, Mr Wright. Uh, it's going, I guess. Nothing to report, unfortunately."

"Ach," muttered Gavin, shaking his head. "This Herr Bleek…he's much more slippery than we ever would have guessed. I don't suppose you have any ideas to share with us, Herr Wright?"

Ema glared. "Don't be an ass. If Mr. Wright knew anything, he'd have told the police already. Right, Mr. Wright?"

_Thanks for the vote of confidence, Ema, _thought Phoenix, smiling at her.

"Yeah," he agreed, "of course. Unfortunately, I haven't heard anything either. I've tried to contact him."

"Of course you have," echoed Ema, nodding. "The glimmerous fop over here is just trying to annoy me. As usual, he's doing a pretty good job."

She shot Gavin a frustrated look, and Gavin gave her and then Phoenix a slightly melodramatic little half-bow.

"Forgive me, Herr Wright," he murmured. "I meant nothing by it, of course. Fraulein Skye is a bit jumpy this evening, it seems."

"It's 'Detective' Skye," retorted Ema hotly. "'Detective,' okay? Of course I'm jumpy. We're all a little jumpy. There's a murderer on the loose. Haven't you been paying attention, or are you too busy booking your next overpriced and glitter-heavy world tour to be focusing on little, local issues like murder?"

Shaking her head she threw another few snackoos into her mouth, shrugged, and then shot Phoenix a quick, forced half-smile before abandoning them abruptly and going to speak to Edgeworth by the buffet.

Gavin raised an eyebrow.

"What do you think," he asked. "Was it something I said?"

"Probably not," replied Phoenix. "She's…I mean, it's like you said. We're all a little bit on edge lately."

_Still, _he thought, _that was a pretty emotional display, for Ema. She's not usually that easily riled up. _

"And how," asked Gavin, "is the lovely Fraulein Wright? It's been some time since I've had the pleasure of her entrancing company."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "Trucy's been busy with her college applications," he said pointedly. "You know, since she's _only just_ old enough to start thinking about colleges, and all."

Phoenix gave Gavin what he hoped was a strongly disapproving look, but Gavin didn't bat an eye. He either didn't catch Phoenix's hint, or was doing a great job of pretending to be oblivious. Phoenix was never sure exactly which with him.

"College applications," sighed Gavin wistfully. "How happy I am to have that part of my life behind me…although, college life itself wasn't quite so bad. We had some wild nights in college, and I played a few of my best gigs during those years. Ach, the day of my youth…"

_If you say "like the scent of fresh lemon, I am going to scream, _thought Phoenix, getting a very strange and unsettling sense of déjà vu. _Besides, what are you talking about? You're still young! You're barely any older than I was at the beginning of my career! Stop making me feel old, becauseI'm not old!_

"Ah, Wright-dono," said a quiet voice behind Phoenix, just as Phoenix was opening his mouth to protest the mischievous twinkle in Gavin's eye. "I wasn't sure if I should expect to see you this evening."

Phoenix turned around to see Simon Blackquill, equipped, as always, with his trusty samurai sword.

_You know, _thought Phoenix. _He probably isn't allowed to bring that into the hotel. Isn't there some kind of a 'no weapons' policy? How does he get it in here, anyway? Maybe he just looks scary enough that the guards out front don't put up a fight. That's…that's not encouraging at all, actually._

The sword, however, was really the least of Phoenix's worries. The woman standing beside Blackquill was much more dangerous and menacing than any samurai weapon could ever be, as far as Phoenix was concerned. She was tall, slender, and sharp-looking, with her hair done up into two horn-like spikes on the top of her head.

"Oh," she muttered, giving Phoenix a less-than-impressed look and crossing both arms over her chest. "You."

"Hello, Aura," replied Phoenix, forcing a friendly smile.

_Sheesh, _he thought. _I'm technically the guy who saved your brother's life, right? Couldn't you at least pretend to like me? Are you still mad about my refusing to take your case? You kidnapped my daughter! You didn't seriously expect me to defend you after that, did you? _

"What," asked Aura, raising an eyebrow. "What are you giving me that look for?"

"I-it's nothing," mumbled Phoenix, running a hand nervously through his hair. "I'm not giving you a look. Uh…so, how's, um…how's life? I mean, how have you been?"

"Since I got out of prison, you mean?" Aura shrugged. "Oh, it's fine, I guess. I mean, it's fine if you like being bored all the time. They won't let me work in the lab anymore, and I can't seem to find a job anywhere doing anything that's actually WORTH doing, so.., you know, I'm fine. I've got TONS of free time."

Phoenix winced. _Yeah, _he thought, _well, don't expect me to be sympathetic. You did this to yourself. _

Aura was now glaring at Phoenix, and Blackquill placed a gentle, quelling hand on her shoulder. Aura turned to frown at him, but some of the rancor in her eyes faded as she looked at her brother, and for a moment there was something almost affectionate about their stiff and slightly menacing tableau.

_Then again, _thought Phoenix, _I guess I can't really blame you, Aura. I mean, if it had been Maya, or Trucy, or Edgeworth, I'd probably have done the same thing. When you're out of other options, I guess you have to do crazy things for the people you love, like…kidnap a bunch of innocent bystanders at a space station, or agree to defend a guilty man on a murder charge. Desperate times call for…well, resourceful people, I suppose._

"Aura is currently assisting me in the prosecutor's office," Blackquill was saying. "She is in the process of perfecting the JUSTICE model, which, as I understand, is a robot intended to be able to take the place of a prosecutor in the courtroom."

"Robots understand justice," interjected Aura. "Right and wrong aren't so hard for them. There's no gray area or personal stakes They know what the law says, and they know what it means to break the law. Honestly, our justice system would probably better off if we replaced you all with robots. We'd get more done and our verdicts would be cleaner and more accurate."

"A…robotic prosecutor?" Phoenix tried as hard as he could not to think of Edgeworth. "Somehow, I don't see that working. I mean, you kind of need the human element, sometimes. I don't know how I'd feel about being either prosecuted or defended by something that can't feel."

"Then you're an idiot," retorted Aura. "A robot could easily compute the discrepancies in testimonies from multiple witnesses in a matter of seconds, and could therefore determine and compare the number of inaccuracies on both sides of the argument. You'd be much more likely to get a fair verdict from a robot."

_I don't know, _thought Phoenix, glancing over his shoulder at the buffet table where Edgeworth was now chatting with Ema. _Rational arguments aren't everything. Sometimes, you have to trust your gut and take a leap of faith. Robots can't trust, can they? You can't really connect or form a bond with a robot. _

"Take the Iago Bleek trial for example," said Aura, smiling a tight-lipped, sarcastic little smile. "A robot would have figured out immediately that something was wrong with that creep. The fact that he looked like a sweet little old man wouldn't have phased a robot for one second."

"Aura," said Blackquill sharply, raising a warning eyebrow. "That's quite enough."

"Don't you dare give me that, Simon," snapped Aura. "I'll say whatever I feel like saying. After all, I'm right, aren't I? You're just as much to blame as the famous Mr. Phoenix Wright, anyway. You're the one who lost the trial!"

Turning away from Aura, Blackquill cleared his throat. "Forgive me," he muttered, nodding to Phoenix. "My sister…has some very strong opinions about this particular case."

"Yeah," mumbled Phoenix, "I can uh, see that."

_She's probably not the only one, _he thought miserably.

"Well, uh," he began in the awkward silence that followed. "So…uh, Simon. What have you been-?"

"Phoenix," called Edgeworth, striding over towards them with a glass of wine in each hand. "Ah, there you are. Prosecutor Blackquill, Ms. Blackquill, I'm delighted to see you both again."

Blackquill gave Edgeworth what was, for him, really a very warm smile, and even Aura managed not to scowl contemptuously at Edgeworth.

_When exactly did I become the bad guy? _Phoenix sighed. _Oh, well. _

"Ooh, they've opened the wine," announced Aura, glancing at the glasses. "Come on, Simon, this party's a bore. Let's go drink."

Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Blackquill by the arm and dragged him off towards the buffet table, leaving Phoenix and Edgeworth mercifully alone.

Edgeworth handed Phoenix a glass of wine.

"Thanks," mumbled Phoenix.

"You may only drink that," said Edgeworth severely, "if you promise to behave yourself."

"Sure," agreed Phoenix. "No problem."

He downed the glass in three quick gulps, then took a deep breath and tried to push Aura and her scorn as far from his mind as he could.

"Thanks," he repeated. "I needed that."

Edgeworth sighed.

"Ms. Blackquill is a difficult woman," he said. "Perhaps I should have intervened sooner."

"Nah," said Phoenix, shaking his head. "You're fine. After all, that's why I'm here, isn't it? I'm supposed to be a social buffer so you don't have to deal with people."

"I don't recall assigning you that role," murmured Edgeworth.

Phoenix shrugged. "Don't worry about it," he said. "It's one of those unspoken things that spouses do at parties,"

Edgeworth suddenly choked on a sip of wine. "Wh-what was that?"

Phoenix frowned. "Huh? What's up?"

"S-spouses, mumbled Edgeworth uncertainly. "You, ah…just now, you said…" He cleared his throat, going slightly pink the face.

_Did I? Uh…yeah, I guess I did. _Suddenly, Phoenix regretted downing that wine so quickly. _Of course, that's, uh, not what I meant. I just…_

"Y-you know," stammered Phoenix, "When I said spouses, I just meant, like…significant others. Uh. I mean, when people bring their partners to parties, they're supposed to mingle and talk to people. That's all I meant." His face, too, now felt uncomfortably hot.

"Yes," murmured Edgeworth. "Of course. I understand."

For just a split second, Phoenix thought that Edgeworth looked almost disappointed.

_I can't have imagined that, _thought Phoenix. _I mean, my alcohol tolerance isn't THAT bad…_

The tension between them had now noticeably thickened. Behind Edgeworth, Phoenix could see Maya and Gumshoe making their way towards the back of the buffet line.

"Phoenix," began Edgeworth slowly. "If you don't mind, I have something I'd like to give you."

"Huh?" Phoenix blinked. "For me?"

Edgeworth nodded, reached into his pocket, then stopped, frowned, and apparently thought better of it. "I'd be grateful if you'd join me outside, for a moment," he said. "Perhaps this crowded ballroom isn't the best place to present an intimate gift."

For some inexplicable reason, Phoenix's heart was now pounding. Phoenix thought that it might have something to do with the unexpectedly intense and serious look in Edgeworth's eyes.

"Y-yeah," mumbled Phoenix. "S-sure, no problem."

Edgeworth nodded, then turned and began walking towards the double doors that led from the ballroom to the little outdoor terrace. Phoenix had no choice but to follow.

They had almost reached the terrace doors when, abruptly, the annoyingly ambient background music stopped playing, and the room went pitch black.

"Eek," shrieked a female voice. "It's a blackout!"

"The power's gone," shouted a man. "What the hell's up with that?"

A hand groped for Phoenix's hand in the dark.

"Phoenix," muttered Edgeworth. "Something about this does not feel right."

"Yeah," said Phoenix. "I agree. Maya? Maya, where are you?"

"I'm here, Nick," called Maya from somewhere on the other side of the room. "It's okay, I'm fine!"

_Thank god, _thought Phoenix. _For a second, I thought this might be some kind of trick of Bleek's, to catch us off guard._

He turned towards the place where Maya's voice had come from, and was about to try and make his way over in her direction when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a fleeting glimpse of three glowing red lights.

"Huh?" He frowned. "Wait, is that…?"

Then, just as suddenly as it had gone out, the power came back on and the lights all flickered back to life. Various party guests were revealed standing around, looking startled and confused, clutching plates of cookies and half-finished wine glasses in their hands as they blinked and squinted around at each other in confusion.

Phoenix gazed around, half expecting to see a corpse lying on the floor somewhere. Nothing, however, seemed amiss or out of place.

"A false alarm, then," murmured Edgeworth. "Perhaps we are both a bit too much on edge. Power outages are not unheard of in large hotels like this. It seems to have been nothing more than an innocent coincidence."

_Yeah, maybe, _thought Phoenix. _That's a relief, I guess. _Still, something definitely felt wrong._  
_

"Since the crisis seems to be over," Edgeworth was saying, still gently clasping Phoenix's hand in his, "perhaps you might join me on the terrace after all?"

Phoenix nodded. "Yeah," he agreed, "in just a moment. I want to get a hold of Maya and Gumshoe."

He reached into his back pocket for his cell phone, intending to text Maya and to let her know that he was stepping out for a moment, in case she needed anything. His phone, however, didn't seem to be in his pocket.

"What?" He blinked. "Where's my phone? Did I leave it at the office? Nah, there's no way. I had it in the car."

Edgeworth frowned. "Something wrong?"

"I can't find my cell phone," explained Phoenix.

Edgeworth rolled his eyes. "This...would hardly be the first time."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix impatiently, "but I'm sure I brought it with me, this time. It must have fallen out of my pocket around here, somewhere. Hey, Ema!"

Spotting the Detective in the crowd around the buffet table, Phoenix waved at her and then went over to join her.

"Mr. Wright?" Ema sighed. "Oh, good, looks like you got rid of the glimmerous nuisance. What's up?"

"Uh, sorry," said Phoenix. "This is kind of a strange question, but you didn't' see my phone sticking out of my pocket when I came in, did you? Looks like I've lost it somewhere."

"Again?" Ema rolled her eyes at him. "Seriously, you have to keep better track of your stuff, Mr. Wright."

_Aw, come on, _thought Phoenix. _It fell out of my pocket! How is that my fault? It's not like I put it down and forgot it somewhere. I'm sure I__ haven't taken it out since we got here. _

"Okay, sure," said Ema. "I mean, I guess I'm not doing anything else right now. I'll help you look. Hey, Dick! Can you give us a hand with something?"_  
_

Ema waved Gumshoe over, and together the three of them began combing the room for Phoenix's phone.

Over by the terrace doors, Phoenix noticed Edgeworth standing and watching with a slightly frustrated look on his face.

_Sorry, Miles, _thought Phoenix. _I guess whatever it is will have to wait. Not long, though. I mean, with three of u_s, _it won't take that long to find my phone, and then I'm all yours. I promise._

**Fin. **

* * *

**Author's End Note: **

Ugh, I won't even talk about the horrible typos on this computer.

Today's reader response question:

**So, spouse**s, **huh?**

**If Edgeworth or Phoenix DID ever pop the** **question, which one of them would do it, and how would he propose?**

**FAIR WARNING: I do not promise to use any of these ideas in the story, but I am curious to hear your thoughts! **


	52. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Eleven

**Author's Note: **So, I have decided to take this chapter in a totally different direction than I'd originally intended, and it has subsequently gotten very, very long. It's going to be a four-part chapter! Huzzah!

Yes, that was…sort of a sarcastic "huzzah." Ah, well.

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Stand By Me – Part Three**

**October 1, 2029**

**9:00 PM**

**The Gatewater Hotel Ballroom**

Uncertain quite what else to do, Edgeworth stood on the hotel terrace and waited with increasing impatience as Phoenix, Ema, and Gumshoe searched inside for Phoenix's missing cell phone. It felt like a great deal of time passed, but he wasn't wearing a watch and couldn't be sure.

_Perhaps another time, _he thought, watching through the window as several guests gathered their jackets and left the party. _I feel incredibly foolish, standing out here alone. The moment for this presentation has clearly already passed._

His hand felt sweaty and strange, clenched around the small, black velvet bag in his pants pocket. From the terrace, he could see the lights of several local businesses shutting down for the night, as even the traffic began to diminish and the sights and sounds of L.A. softened and faded into the obscurity of a weekday evening.

_This is ridiculous, _decided Edgeworth finally, shaking his head and withdrawing his hand from his pocket as he turned to head back into the hotel ballroom.

It was at that moment that terrace doors opened and Phoenix stepped out.

"Sorry, Miles," he muttered. "Have you been out here all this time? Sheesh…I didn't think that would take so long. Seriously, I'm really sorry."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "Think nothing of it. Did you find your phone?"

"No, I didn't," admitted Phoenix, sighing and looking annoyed. "I mean…maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I really did leave it at the office. Stranger things have happened."

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth. "No doubt you'll find it there, in the morning. I wouldn't worry too much."

"I'll try not to." Phoenix smiled a rueful little smile. "I mean, it's like you said. I lose my phone all the time, so I've stopped relying on it, for the most part."

Inside the ballroom, someone laughed uproariously, and something landed on the floor with a crash of shattered glass.

"It's starting to get a little rowdy in there," remarked Phoenix. "Even Gumshoe's had a little too much to drink."

"Perhaps that's for the best," murmured Edgeworth. "He can't have been having a very good time."

Phoenix shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Maya can be a great party date, when she wants to be. She knows how to force you to have fun, whether you're up for it or not."

"Oh?" Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "And that's the mark of a good date, is it?"

Phoenix shrugged. "It grows on you. Sometimes it's nice to be forced out of your own head for a little bit, anyway."

_Ah, _thought Edgeworth. _I suppose there is something to be said for that. I confess that I've always wondered about Phoenix and Maya's relationship. I have never seen two people antagonize each other so dramatically and yet get along so well. They are a strange pair._

"So," said Phoenix. "You said there was something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Y-yes, well." Edgeworth cleared his throat, caught slightly off guard by the question. His heart began pounding uncomfortably in his chest again, and he reached back into his pocket to finger the ring. "It wasn't quite something that I wished to discuss, but, rather a gift I have for you."

Phoenix frowned. "A gift, huh? What's the occasion? I haven't gotten you anything."

_You have given me far more than you will ever fully comprehend, _thought Edgeworth. _  
_

"There's no occasion," he said aloud. "Not precisely. I had not, in fact, intended to give you this today. Rather, I was saving it for such a special occasion, but…I have since changed my mind. Perhaps this is the opportune moment, after all."

Phoenix frowned. "Um…thanks, I think."

"Something you said to me last night struck a chord," continued Edgeworth, trying to ignore the beads of sweat that were now crawling down the back of his neck as an irrational fit of nerves threatened to undo him. "You said that you've come perhaps to regret the trust you place so readily in others. To a certain extent, that may be wise. You have always been, in my mind, too trusting of people who've failed to prove themselves worth the time."

_Larry Butz, _he thought, _comes unpleasantly to mind as a prime example of misplaced trust. _

Phoenix sighed. "Did you hear what Aura Blackquill said to me, in there? She said a robot could do better than I do at being a lawyer. Even Gavin made some snide remark about how I'm probably on Bleek's side, and I actually thought he liked me."

"Tensions are high," murmured Edgeworth. "People are speaking out of turn, without due consideration."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix, "but…I don't know." He gave Edgeworth a rueful, bitter little half-smile. "It can't be much fun, knowing that your date to the party is everyone's least favorite person. Does it bother you that I've become the demon defense attorney, the guy who let the serial killer go free? Maybe you should have come to the party alone after all."

"On the contrary," murmured Edgeworth. "I've enjoyed myself significantly more than I would have, otherwise. I prefer your company to that of anyone else I can readily think of. I am, of course, sorry that you've had to deal with such preposterous remarks. I encourage to ignore them. Your conscience, as we both know, is clear."

"Doesn't feel that way," mumbled Phoenix.

"Besides," added Edgeworth matter-of-factly, "For many years, I was the demon, the evidence-forger and the man without a conscience, as far as most of our business associates were concerned. I was the pariah, and yet you stood by me, even as I resisted and refused your attention. You're mistaken if you think I have any intention of abandoning you, now."

Phoenix looked surprised, and then slowly, he started to smile.

"Wow," he said. "You know, for a man with no social graces, you sure know how to make a guy feel good. Thanks, Miles. I mean it."

"As do I," returned Edgeworth. "Know that I will remain your ally, whatever may come to pass. You may trust in that."

Phoenix looked pleased, and slightly embarrassed.

"I'm hardly the right person to deliver you a lecture on trust," Edgeworth said. "I do not trust easily, as you well know, or in fact, at all in most cases. It was you who first taught me the value of trust after so many years of solitude, and it seems strange, now, that I am making efforts to return the favor."

Taking his hand out of his pocket, he revealed the black velvet bag, and held it out to Phoenix.

"I'd like you to have this," said Edgeworth, as alarm bells began ringing in his head. His face heated up as he fought a sudden and irrational urge to flee the scene before abandoning the last shreds of both emotional safety and dignity.

Phoenix accepted the bag before Edgeworth had a chance to snatch it away, again. "Uh," he asked, clearly startled, "Wait, is this what I think it is?"

_That is a ridiculous question, _thought Edgeworth. _It must be rhetorical. I have no idea what you think this is. Might I suggest putting us both out of our misery by opening it? _

Phoenix did open it, slowly reaching his hand into the bag to pull out the black and gold ring. His eyes widened, and he stared at the ring for a long moment, somehow both obviously impressed and decidedly uncertain at the same time.

"Miles," said Phoenix, looking Edgeworth straight in the eye. "This…?"

"Th-there is an inscription," mumbled Edgeworth confusedly, pointing at the gold band in the center of the ring.

Phoenix held the ring up to examine it more closely.

The gold band was engraved with the letters " TRUTH."

"Wow," repeated Phoenix.

"It's…a token," said Edgeworth, more to fill the nauseating and nerve-wracking silence than for any other reason. "A representation, if you will, of the promises that I have just made. I hope that you will come to see the trust between us as a certain kind of truth in which you might place your faith, even when others have failed you. I…I was rather hoping you'd be willing to wear it."

There was a long, pregnant silence, during which Phoenix gazed fixedly at the inscription on the ring, and Edgeworth almost entirely forgot to breathe.

_He's usually so transparent, _thought Edgeworth desperately. _He always says whatever comes into his head, regardless of its propriety. Why does he choose this moment of all moments to be silent and inscrutable? Perhaps this was even more of a terrible idea than I originally suspected. I…believe that I'm going to be sick._

"Miles," said Phoenix, glancing seriously up into Edgeworth's eyes.

Edgeworth bit down hard on his lip and steeled himself for laughter, rejection, scorn, or worst of all, pity.

"Miles," repeated Phoenix, "have you been reading romance novels, again?"

_Wha…WHAT? _Edgeworth blinked." Wh-what is this nonsense? What are you talking about? I have never read a romance novel in my life."

Phoenix gave him a skeptical look. "Are you sure? Because this…this seems like a romantic gesture straight out of a romance novel, or like something you'd see in a chick flick."

"A…chick flick?" Edgeworth's head was now reeling.

_I certainly have never read what one would refer to as a 'romance novel,' _he thought, _and I do not enjoy 'chick flicks,' __but it is true that I have been reading a number of articles on the internet, entitled such things as 'Gifts to Please Your Man,' and 'Showing Him Love Without Words.' If Phoenix ever finds out about this pastime, however, I will commit ritual suicide rather than look him in the eye. This particular truth can never come out._

"Then," muttered Edgeworth, clearing his throat and doing his best not to look as dejected as he felt, "you don't like it."

"What? No, no, I do." Phoenix shook his head emphatically. "Miles, I love it. I'm…I mean, it's beautiful, and it's not like I don't appreciate the sentiment. I do. I…look, like I said, it means a ton to me. I don't really know how to respond."

Slowly, the tensed muscles in Edgeworth's jaw began to hesitantly relax.

"Uh, let's get one thing straight, though," continued Phoenix, dropping the ring back into the velvet bag. "Um…this ring. I mean…is it that kind of a ring? Are you asking me to, uh…?"

If it was possible for Edgeworth's flush to get any darker, it did.

"N-no," he muttered desperately, "no, it is not a marriage proposal. Only a token of appreciation."

"Right, that's what you said," agreed Phoenix. "But…a ring's sort of an interesting gift choice. After all, rings kind of do tend to represent, uh, partnership. I mean…the 'forever' kind of partnership. Marriage."

_Yes, _thought Edgeworth, frowning. _Yes, I suppose that's true. Perhaps I'm asking for my than I realized. The question of commitment has been lurking in the back of my subconscious mind for some time. I don't deny it. Perhaps I've known all along that my motivations were..other than I've chosen to represent them. _

"It's too soon to be thinking about that sort of thing," mumbled Edgeworth, no longer able to look Phoenix in the eye. "After barely six months, a proposal seems irrational and precipitate."

"Oh, really?" Phoenix frowned. "You think so? Well, I guess you're right, but I mean, I won't pretend I haven't thought about it."

For a moment, Edgeworth wasn't entirely sure if he'd heard that right.

"You…you have?" He swallowed. "And…the idea is not abhorrent to you?"

Now it was Phoenix's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Definitely not. I mean…look, Miles, maybe we haven't been dating that long, but I've known you for most of my life. We're not exactly strangers."

"Y-yes," agreed Edgeworth. "That's certainly true, but-!"

"And I'm happy," interrupted Phoenix. "Honestly, I'm happier with you than I can ever remember being before."

Edgeworth wasn't sure what to say. There was a strange, warm and intoxicating feeling of disbelief starting in his chest and spreading through his core. The English language somehow didn't contain the right words to describe the feelings.

"Aren't you happy, Miles?" Phoenix frowned. "I thought you were."

_Unbelievable, _thought Edgeworth. _Phoenix, you have no idea. _

"I have never been so happy in my life," said Edgeworth, very seriously. "Never."

Phoenix cracked a grin. "You sure don't look it. Maybe you could try smiling when you say that. I know it doesn't come easily, but give it your best shot, for me."

Dropping the velvet bag into his pocket, Phoenix reached for Edgeworth, and Edgeworth eagerly leaned into his embrace. Phoenix kissed him slowly, and so gently that a lump began forming in Edgeworth's throat.

_It is alarming and decidedly unwise, the extent to which I love this man, _thought Edgeworth, closing his eyes and doing his best to steady his now trembling hands against the small of Phoenix's back. _It's overwhelming and ill-advised, and I am completely at his mercy, but also…I trust him. I can't explain why, but this madness is somehow safer and more secure than all the rationale that I have ever known. _

"Hey, Miles," began Phoenix quietly.

Before he had a chance to finish the sentence, however, someone laughed raucously again from inside the ballroom, and both men released their holds on each other and swung guiltily around to stare through the terrace windows.

"I'd almost forgotten about the party," muttered Phoenix ruefully.

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth, clearing his throat and trying to regain his composure while watching as Gumshoe strode by, closely followed by Maya. "We're remiss. The middle of an active murder investigation is hardly the right time for us to be having this conversation."

"I agree," said Phoenix, nodding. "But…when this is all over, Miles, uh, you know, I wouldn't mind talking about it. About, uh, the future, I mean."

He smiled uncertainly, and Edgeworth nodded.

"Very well," he murmured. "In that case, I shall look forward to it."

Looking slightly relieved, Phoenix reached into the velvet bag again, pulled out the ring, examined it appreciatively, and then carefully slipped it onto his finger.

"In the meantime," he announced, grinning, "I can't wait to show this off in the courtroom."

Edgeworth tried not to look as pleased as he felt. "People will talk," he felt obligated to admonish.

"Good," retorted Phoenix. "I hope they do!"

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

Hah. The writing of this chapter was actually interrupted by a fight with my partner of six years. I mean, it wasn't a big or impressive fight, but it actually served to help me finish this chapter. It made me think a little more about romance, about love, and about how real relationships and made and maintained.

Anyway, enough romantic nonsense out of me.

Here's your daily response question!

**Do Phoenix and Edgeworth have middle names? If so, what are they? **

**If Phoenix and Edgeworth got married, would either of them change their last names? **


	53. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Twelve

**Author's Note: **I wrote this chapter last night, and of course I intended to post it as a Thursday update, but it was…really, really just terrible, and so I bit the bullet and decided to rewrite it from scratch and skip an update.

Thanks for your patience.

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Stand By Me – Maya's Side**

**October 1, 2029**

**8:30 PM**

**The Gatewater Hotel Ballroom**

While Phoenix Gumshoe and Ema searched the ballroom for Phoenix's missing cell phone, Maya wandered over into the far corner of the room, back behind the buffet table, where the empty tea-trays and laden coat racks were casting all sorts of interesting shadows.

There was a man standing there amid the shadows; a man with a shock of stark white hair, dressed in a striped vest and sipping from a large mug of steaming coffee.

"Um," said Maya. "I see you, Mr. Armando."

Armando glanced at her over the rim of his mug. "So, Little Kitten, you found me after all."

Maya shrugged. "Uh, I saw you when the lights went out. You kind of glow in the dark."

"Hah," muttered Armando, giving Maya a rueful little half-smile. "Well, I wasn't counting on a blackout. Just my bad luck."

"Why," asked Maya, "are you hiding in the corner? Actually, what are you doing here? I mean, isn't this a party for prosecutors and police?"

"I was a prosecutor once," Armando reminded her.

"Yeah," agreed Maya, "but not a REAL prosecutor. I mean…um, no, wait, that's not what I mean. What I mean is-!"

"I still have my prosecutor's office badge," interrupted Armando, shrugging. "I showed it at the door, and the guards didn't ask any questions. Security here isn't so hot."

Maya frowned. "Well, this is a party full of police. Maybe everybody feels like we don't need that much security."

"This guy Bleek," muttered Armando, shaking his head. "His first victim was a policewoman, remember?"

Maya's heart sank. _Oh, y-yeah, _she thought sadly. _Poor Maggey…_

Someone on the other side of the room was either drunk, or just had a really stupid, raucous laugh. Maya could hear whoever it was laughing loudly and obnoxiously from all the way over by the coatrack.

Armando made a face. "I hate parties," he sighed. "Drunk people annoy me."

"But," countered Maya, pointing as his mug, "an all-you-can-eat buffet means lots of free coffee, right?"

"Didn't come here for the coffee," retorted Armando. "Thanks to you, I've got plenty of that at home."

_Good point, _thought Maya. "Okay, then…so, why are you here? I mean, you usually can't stand social stuff. You don't even like leaving your apartment, so-?"

"Haven't you guessed?" For the first time, Armando looked Maya straight in the eye. "I'm here for you, Little Kitten."

_Me? _Something in Maya's heart thrilled, and she could feel her heart beating much faster than it had a moment ago. "Um…you came to see me? Does that mean we don't have to avoid each other anymore? I…I thought you said that you never wanted to see me again."

Armando coughed uncomfortably. "That's…uh, that's not exactly what I said. Anyway, the situation's changed."

Maya grinned. "Just couldn't keep away from me, huh? You know, Mr. Armando, Nick says that when you can't stay away from someone, it must mean that you-!"

"This guy Bleek is killing witnesses," interrupted Armando, scowling. "He's killed two women already, and if someone doesn't do something, you could be next. Like I said before, the security in this gaudy, overblown teahouse is nothing to be proud of. I couldn't just leave you here alone."

"Huh?" Maya blinked. "You're…worried about me?"

"Sure, Little Kitten." Armando nodded. "I made a promise, remember? I promised your sister I'd protect you, whatever it takes. I'm a man of my word, when it matters."

_Oh, _thought Maya, deflating a little bit. _Right, it's…because of Mia. _

"I'm here with Nick," she said aloud. "So, I'll be fine. Nick will protect me."

"Oh, yeah?" Armando snorted a derisive little laugh. "Is he going to look after you the way he looked after your sister? Didn't do such a great job of that, did he?"

"What happened to Mia wasn't Nick's fault," retorted Maya, planting both hands on her hips and glaring. "You know it, too, Mr. Armando. You know it wasn't his fault. You're not allowed to talk about him like that."

For a moment, Armando didn't seem interested in dignifying that with a response.

"Yeah," he said eventually, shrugging. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Maybe that wasn't fair, but it's not like it matters one way or the other. All that's important is that you stay out of harm's way. I'll do whatever I have to, to make sure that nothing's going to happen to you."

"For Mia," mumbled Maya, miserably.

"Right," agreed Armando. "For Mia."

Armando returned his attention to his mug of coffee, and Maya listened idly to the snatches of a conversation taking place only a few feet behind her. It sounded like Prosecutor Gavin an Detective Skye were arguing about something again. Maya wondered if Phoenix had found his cell phone, and about what had happened to Edgeworth.

_Even Detective Gumshoe's gone off somewhere, _she realized. _I wonder if everyone's forgotten about me._

"Well," she said aloud, frowning down at the carpet, "It's fine. I'm not my sister."

"Hmm?" Armando glanced up from the coffee again.

"I'm not my sister," repeated Maya, a little more loudly. "Maybe I don't need anyone to protect me. Maybe I can just protect myself."

"Don't be ridiculous," muttered Armando, shaking his head. "Look, you're a grown woman. I get it, but this guy Bleek is a cold-blooded killer."

"And I'm a fully-fledged spirit medium," retorted Maya, drawing herself up to her full, although not very impressive height. "I'm more powerful than my sister ever was. I'm the head of the Kurain Channeling School, and I've been kidnapped, chased, and hunted maybe a hundred times. I'm never going to be a victim. I can take care of myself, much better than Mia could. I…I don't need your help."

Armando's eyes widened, and his mouth fell open in surprise.

Maya herself wasn't exactly sure why she'd just said all of that.

_Ack, _she thought. _Wh-where'd all that come from, all of a sudden? I…I mean, it's true. I'm not my sister. Poor Mia never had a chance, but…but I do. Still, I didn't have to be so rude about it. _

"Hah," mumbled Armando, a slow smile starting across his face as he shook his head in impressed disbelief. "You Fey women…you're really something. Fierce and beautiful."

Maya bit her lip. "I already told you, I'm not my sister. I'm not beautiful. Mia was beautiful. I'm just, um…well, fierce is good. I kinda like fierce."

"And I already told you," admonished Armando, wagging a finger at her, "don't sell yourself short. Yeah, it's true, you're not your sister."

Maya's heart twinged a little. _Why does it hurt when he says that? _She frowned. _I mean, isn't that what I've been saying this whole time? _

"You two are like night and day," murmured Armando, frowning thoughtfully into his coffee cup. "Mia was darker, more mysterious. There was a bitterness about her that left you doubting yourself and craving more. She was a rare blend, the kind that you can never recreate, no matter how many different types you try. She had an unusual, delectable aftertaste that lingered and left you lonely and longing till the very last drop."

_Wow, _thought Maya. _Was my sister really like that? I mean…yeah, I guess she was sort of mysterious. I mean, to me she was just my big sister, Mia, and she was a great big sister, but…the way everyone else talks about her, sometimes I feel like she was really one of those dangerous, gorgeous women you see wearing black dresses and too much red lipstick in action movies on TV. I couldn't ever be like that, even if I wanted to be. I'm not a movie star, and I'm not mysterious. I'll always be just little old dependable little old me. _

"But you," continued Armando, placing the coffee mug down on the edge of the buffet table and gazing thoughtfully into Maya's eyes, "are fresher, and more alive. You're like a shot of caffeine first thing on a winter morning, energizing and just positive enough to start the day on the right foot. You're surprising; never the same taste twice. There's no bitterness about you. Being with you is more like drinking a hot cup of steaming sunshine."

"S-sunshine?" Maya blinked, startled and aware that she was now blushing, which wasn't something she made a habit of. "Is that…? I mean, um. Thank you."

"You remind me of a caffeine high," said Armando. "Mia was more like the delicious longing just after the caffeine crash. It's just like you said, Kitten. You're not your sister."

"You..you called me Kitten," realized Maya.

Armando shrugged. "Yeah, well, you're the one that keeps insisting you're not just a little cub anymore. After that little outburst of yours about how you're so all-powerful, maybe Kitten's not quite right. Maybe I should be calling you 'Tiger Kitten.'"

He was grinning teasingly at her, now, and Maya was confused and starting to feel a little bit silly and giddy inside.

"Let's get one thing straight, though," said Armando more seriously, his smile fading a bit. "Tiger Kitten or not, you're not gonna have to deal with his all alone. You've got your Mr. Wright, sure, but I've already lost one of my favorite girls. There's no chance in a hot, bitter hell that I'm letting the same thing happen to you."

Unexpectedly, he placed an almost possessive hand on her shoulder, and a little shiver of pleased surprise shot down Maya's spine.

"Um…M-Mr. Armando," she began a little shakily, still not entirely sure how to phrase what she wanted to say. "Th…thank you."

He smiled and opened his mouth to reply, but before he had a chance there was a commotion somewhere behind them.

"Maya," called Phoenix, rushing towards her through the throng of prosecutors, policemen and their guests. "Hey, there you are! I was starting to lose it. Where's Gumshoe? He's supposed to be with you!"

"Um…I don't know," mumbled Maya. "But, it's okay. I'm fine."

"Yeah," sighed Nick, giving her a rueful little smile. "Yeah, I know you're fine. I'm the one freaking out. I didn't mean to be gone so long. Sorry."

Maya shook her head. "Don't worry, I wasn't bored. Mr. Armando was keeping me company."

She turned back to Armando, but found that he wasn't there anymore. He'd vanished into the shadows somewhere, and Maya spent a moment peering between the coats and the tea trays, wondering where he'd gone.

"Who?" Phoenix frowned. "Sorry, I didn't catch that. I'm, uh…a little distracted, I guess."

"It's nothing," said Maya, shaking her head. "Forget it. What are you so distracted for, any? Wait…what's that on your finger?"

There was a big black and gold ring on the fourth finger of Phoenix's right hand.

Phoenix ran a nervous hand through his hair, and grinned sheepishly down at the ring.

"No way," whispered Maya. "No…no WAY! Are you…? Is that…? NICK!"

"N-no, it's nothing like that," stammered Phoenix hastily, shaking his head. "I mean...well, okay, so maybe it's a little bit like that? Wait, uh…look, Maya, it's kind of hard to explain."

"Start trying, anyway!" Grabbing Phoenix by the arm, Maya tugged him back towards the rest of the party guests. "How 'hard to explain' can it possibly be? I sure know what it LOOKS like!"

She cast just one last glance over her shoulder at the buffet table, but Armando still wasn't there.

_Maybe now I don't have to stay away from him anymore, _she thought, smiling to herself. _Maybe he'll let me visit again, now. I hope so. I won't know until I try!_

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **So, that was just a short little chapter, but for once I don't completely hate it, so I think that's actually progress.

Now I can get back to the main plot, which is going to start picking up very quickly, very soon!

I anticipate that if I haven't plotted everything out totally wrong, this story will contain seven more chapters.

Let's see if I did that math correctly.

Oh, and tonight's discussion question:

**Maya Fey – do you love her character, or hate her? Why? **

(This seems to be something of a debate amongst Ace Attorney fans, so I'm curious to hear your take. I, of course, love her.)


	54. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Thirteen

**Author's Note: **Hello again, friends! I'm going to do my best to update every day this week (trying again, let's hope it works, this time.)

We shall see. Thursday might be tricky, but I'll do my absolute best. I really, really want to get into the juicy part of this story, which is right around the corner. It's so close, and yet my insane schedule makes it feel so far away…

Special thanks to **randomglitter** for reviewing for the first time! I really appreciate you taking the time to read and review! Means a lot to me!

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: One I Love**

**October 2, 2029**

**7:02 AM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

The next morning, Phoenix slept right through his alarm, and only woke up when his cell phone began buzzing underneath his pillow. Opening his eyes, he found that Edgeworth was already gone, and that he was lying in an empty bed with one arm thrown over his face, drooling just a little bit onto the corner of his pillowcase.

"Bleh," he mumbled, blinking and shaking his head to clear it. He reached under the pillow to retrieve the cell phone, and glanced down at the text message displaying on the screen.

**Good morning, **read the text. **It is past seven. You will be late. Sincerely, Miles.**

_Sheesh, _thought Phoenix, grinning at the text. _When is he gonna figure out that he doesn't have to sign his text messages? The phone tells me who they're from…not that a message like that could have possibly come from anybody else. _

The cell phone was pink, and Phoenix realized blearily that it wasn't his. _  
_

_This is Trucy's phone, _he thought. _Why is this here? Oh, right, I borrowed it to make a call, last night. Mine's still missing. it's probably at the office. I have to remember to look for it when I get in, today. _

He yawned, stretched, ran a hand uselessly through his rumpled hair, and then swung himself out of bed and opened the closet. After finding a pair of pants and a shirt, he started towards the bathroom door, but then stopped, turned around, and returned to the bed to pick up his brand new, beautiful black and gold ring off the bedside table.

_TRUTH, _he read, grinning to himself as that same, now familiarly warm and giddy feeling washed over him.

A few minutes later, dressed and showered, he wandered into the kitchen where he found Edgeworth and Trucy sitting at the table and sharing a shiny, new brass pot of tea.

"Ah," murmured Edgeworth, "you're awake. Good. I was beginning to wonder if I should rouse you."

Phoenix stifled a laugh, and briefly wondered if he should make a pun here about an "arousing" wake-up call.

"Yeah," he said instead, kissing Trucy on the forehead as he stepped around her to take a seat at Edgeworth's side. "I must have had too much to drink last night, because I slept like a rock. If it hadn't been for your text, I'd be in trouble. You know how Apollo hates it when I'm late the office. He always gives me that disapproving little look of his."

Edgeworth nodded. "At least someone at your agency takes care to be punctual. You could learn a great deal from Mr. Justice."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow, and wagged a teasing finger at Edgeworth.

"Hey, if you're so worried about me being on time," he suggested, "maybe you should have let me get some more sleep last night. I'm pretty sure somebody insisted on keeping me up. Wonder who that could have been…?"

Edgeworth looked startled, and his face flushed an unusual sort of purplish pink color.

"Your daughter is present," he muttered, coughing and glancing at Trucy out of the corner of his eye. "Show some decorum, for my sake at least."

Phoenix looked over at Trucy, who didn't seem even the slightest bit embarrassed or put out.

She turned to him, smiled, and held out the teapot. "Morning, Daddy! Have some tea!"

"Thanks," replied Phoenix, while Edgeworth regained his composure. "I think I will."

He poured himself a cup of tea, snagged an extra piece of toast off of Trucy's plate, and then casually covered Edgeworth's hand with his own.

Edgeworth frowned at Phoenix for a moment, opened his mouth, and then stopped mid-protest when he noticed the ring on Phoenix's fourth finger.

"I…am glad to see that you like it," mumbled Edgeworth confusedly, clearing his throat and turning away, obviously pleased. "It suits you."

"Yep," agreed Phoenix, smiling. "I think so."

He held it up to the light for a moment, admired it on his finger, and then happily returned to eating his toast while Edgeworth looked on silently, his eyes full of complicated feelings that Phoenix knew Edgeworth would have no interest in voicing aloud.

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _It's a nice ring. I'm looking forward to picking one out for you, Miles, as soon as I get the chance. You said we could talk about the future once this murder case is over and solved. Well, I think I'm ready for a future…or at least, I'm ready for a future with you. _ _It's time to solve this case and get to the good part. I can't wait for you to be a part of the rest of my life, or…no, the rest of our lives. _

He smiled at Trucy over the toast, and she grinned back at him.

"Phoenix," remarked Edgeworth, interrupting Phoenix's warm and blissful little domestic reverie, "You really had better hurry. I'm afraid you'll find today a rather trying one."

"Hmm? What?" Phoenix looked up. "Why do you say that?"

Edgeworth frowned. "Unfortunately, I received a phone call only a few minutes ago, while you were asleep. Apparently, the police have just arrested Miss Jelanda Butz for the murder of her employer, Mr. Karlos Patron."

"Wait…WHAT?" Phoenix stared. "What are you talking about? They weren't interested in her yesterday, when the murder took place."

Edgeworth shrugged. "New evidence has come to light. She is, apparently, down at the detention center at this moment, and so I can only assume that Larry is already in your office, no doubt embarrassing himself and harassing your staff."

Suddenly, Phoenix's future didn't look quite as bright and inspiring as it had only moments before. At least, the immediate future wasn't likely to be anything to look forward to. Phoenix sighed.

"I sympathize," murmured Edgeworth, sounding genuinely apologetic. "It must, however, be faced. Finish your breakfast. I will make sure that Trucy gets to school on time."

"Oh, uh, thanks," said Phoenix. "But…don't you have to be at work?"

"I do," agreed Edgeworth, "but the drive from here to the high school is not far, and I have something to discuss with your daughter in the meantime."

_Something to discuss, hu_h? Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to make me nervous_? _Trucy, don't let him talk you into anything that I wouldn't like. Remember; you're my little girl. You know where your loyalties lie, right?"

"Of course, Daddy!" Trucy gave him one of her must preciously beautiful, innocent smiles.

_Ack, _thought Phoenix. _Now I'm REALLY worried. What are these two planning? _

"I wish you the best of luck," said Edgeworth, leaning over to give Phoenix a slightly stiff and brief kiss on the brow.

Phoenix stood up, still frowning uncertainly at Trucy, who seemed to be completely ignoring him.

He started back towards the bedroom to run a comb through his hair, and passed through the living room on the way. The sofa was empty, except for a purple scarf that looked like it might be Maya's, lying across the armrest.

_Maya, _thought Phoenix, as memories of the night before suddenly came flooding back. _Wait, hang on a second._

"Miles," he asked, rushing back into the kitchen, "where's Maya?"

"You don't remember?" Edgeworth frowned. "Miss Andrews and the new management of the Gatewater hotel have graciously offered both her and Detective Gumshoe a suite for the duration of the murder case, free of charge. Apparently Miss Andrews called in a few favors on your behalf. She is an extremely efficient woman."

_Oh yeah, _thought Phoneix. _I remember Gumshoe saying something about how his place wasn't really big enough for both of them. Maybe he_'s _just not ready to have anybody lse in the house, so soon after Maggey. Maybe I shouldn't be asking him to look after her like this. He's got enough to deal with, without babysitting Maya on top of it. He hasn't even really had time to grieve._

"She should come stay with me," he said aloud. "I mean, she's slept on the couch here, plenty of times. We'd be happy to have her."

"No," countered Edgeworth, "we would not."

"What?" Phoenix frowned. "What do you mean? I thought you liked Maya. I mean, you two always seemed to get along just fine."

Edgeworth nodded. "I am very fond of Maya Fey," he returned calmly, "but at this particular moment, I feel that you are better off focusing on your work than spending your time fretting and worrying about your friend. She is in excellent though slightly clumsy hands with Detective Gumshoe, and there is nothing else that we can do for her at the moment. Were she residing here, with you, you would only end up needlessly losing sleep over a problem that you've no real hope of solving. Maya will be fine. Let her be."

Annoyed and doing his best not to show it, Phoenix cleared his throat. "Uh, I get that you're just trying to look out for me, Miles, but with all due respect, or whatever, this is my home. I get to decide who stays and who doesn't."

For a moment, Edgeworth looked surprised. Then, unexpectedly, he dropped his eyes away from Phoenix's face, bit down hard on his lip and scowled at the tabletop.

"That's certainly true," he said quietly. "I was, however, hoping that you might begin to think of this as our home. Please, forgive me. I see that I was presumptuous, and had forgotten myself."

_Uh, _thought Phoenix. _No, no, wait, that's not what I meant. Uh-!_

"It was…a foolish thought," insisted Edgeworth. "Pay it no mind."

That telltale muscle in Edgeworth's cheek began to twitch again, and Phoenix swallowed, rubbing at the ring on his finger.

H-hey," he began, "no, that's not…I mean, I didn't mean you couldn't, uh...gah."

Trucy got quietly up from the table and began collecting the dishes. "I'm going to clean up," she said. "See you later, Daddy."

While Trucy began washing up in the sink, Phoenix and Edgeworth drifted out of the kitchen and towards the front door.

"Have a good day, Wright," muttered Edgeworth, holding the door open for him.

Phoenix winced. "Oh, come on. Don't call me that. Don't you start getting all formal on me. Hey…come here."

Edgeworth didn't move, but Phoenix wrapped his arms around Edgeworth anyway, pulling him close and resting his chin on Edgeworth's shoulder. He kept still and held Edgeworth in his arms until he felt the other man slowly beginning to relax.

"I'm sorry," repeated Edgeworth quietly, as Phoenix released him. "Perhaps I got carried away. The conversation that we had last night as has left me at something of a loss. I confess that I am uncertain as to the present nature of our relationship, which it makes it somewhat difficult to determine when I am getting ahead of myself."

Edgeworth was turning red again, and Phoenix could almost taste just how much trouble poor Edgeworth was having with the awkwardly intimate admission.

Phoenix shook his head. "Don't be sorry. I know what you mean. Look, we said a lot of big things last night, and I think we have some big choices to make, so of course we're both a little...uh, confused."

Edgeworth just nodded.

"And I want to talk about this," Phoenix went on gently. "I'm…honestly excited to get a chance to talk about this, but you were right when you said that now's not the time. There are things we have to finish, first, because when we do decide to do this, I don't want to have to focus on anything else but you."

Edgeworth's flush deepened, and he mumbled something incoherent under his breath.

"So," asked Phoenix, "do you mind waiting?"

"Certainly not," muttered Edgeworth, shaking his head hurriedly and clearing his throat, forcing himself to meet Phoenix's gaze again. "You're absolutely right, of course. I shall be happy to wait for as long as necessary."

"Good." Phoenix smiled. "In that case, I'd better get to the office before Larry drives Apollo and Athena insane. Have fun at the Prosecutor's office."

He stepped through the door, and was halfway out on to the street when he glanced over his shoulder and found Edgeworth still in the doorway, watching him.

"I love you, Miles," he said on a romantic whim that he knew would probably make Edgeworth even more uncomfortable than he already was. "And, of course, my home has pretty much always been your home. I mean, you're welcome, here, always, for what it's worth."

"Ahem," mumbled Edgeworth, fidgeting nervously with his cravat. "E-enjoy your day."

This time, Phoenix started off down the sidewalk and didn't look back. He heard the faint sound of the door closing behind him as he strode off towards the corner, feeling warm inside and playing with the new ring on his finger, whistling something tunelessly upbeat to himself as the early morning traffic roared by.

**A short time later, at the offices of the Wright Anything Agency…**

As soon as Phoenix pulled open the door of his office, Larry flung himself off of the sofa and came running to the door to meet him, tears streaming down his face.

"Nick, NICK! Where have you BEEN, man? I've been calling you all morning, but you didn't pick uuuuup! I was staring to think you were gonna just leave me hanging! I don't know what I was gonna do if you hadn't shown up!"

His lip was quivering, and it looked like he might completely lose control at any moment.

Behind Larry, Phoenix could see Apollo rolling his eyes.

"Sorry, boss," he said, shrugging. "We offered to listen to his case, but he kept insisting that it had to be you. He's been here for hours."

_Figures, _thought Phoenix.

"Sorry, Larry," he said, taking Larry firmly by the shoulder and steering him towards the private office. "Something came up at home, but I'm here, now."

Larry sniffled. "And…you're gonna help my poor little Jelly, right? RIGHT?"

"Right," agreed Phoenix. "Just like I promised."

He sat down at his desk, and Larry slumped dejectedly and dramatically into the chair across from him.

"Okay, Larry," said Phoenix gently, as though he was talking to a temperamental child. "I know that Jelanda was arrested this morning. I want you tell me everything you know about the case so far, and then we'll go down to the detention center together and see what Jelanda has to say for herself."

"S-sure thing, Nick," mumbled Larry, nodding emphatically and wiping the back of his hand across his face. "You're...you're gonna save her, right? I mean...of course you are! Yeah! Nothing to it!"

Phoenix reached into his desk, pulled out his notebook, and sat, poised and reluctant, as Larry began relating, to the best of his limited ability, the events that had taken place in connection with the murder of Karlos Patron.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **

I enjoyed writing this chapter very much. I hope that I'm able to update again tomorrow night. I might even try updating again tonight…although, I wouldn't hold your breath. M y computer's still giving me all sorts of trouble.

Before we move on to today's question, just a quick thing: I posted something new my tumblr, today!

See, I learned this beautiful song at the Ren Faire, and every time I hear it, it reminds me of NaruMitsu, for some reason. I recorded a quick little version of it and posted it to my tumblr, so if you're curious about it, please do go check it out. I can't explain exactly what about it makes me think of NaruMitsu, but every time I hear it, I'm inspired to write this pairing.

Oh, and again, my tumblr is at ari-moriarty . tumblr . com

Finally, here is today's question:

**Edgeworth is kind of awkward in social situations, right? Romance is clearly…tricky for him.**

**What do you think would be his worst relationship nightmare? Like, what's one romantic situation that you think he'd be totally confused by and absolutely unable to handle? **

**There are a lot of ways of interpreting this question, so have fun. There are no right or wrong answers!**

**Please if you're going to leave your response in a review, keep it PG. If you want to give me a more R-rated answer, please PM. **


	55. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Fourteen

**Author's Note: **Okay, so a Tuesday update didn't' end up happening.

I'm so sorry.

It's a work in progress.

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen: The Logic of Love**

**October 2, 2029**

**7:30 AM**

**Outside the Wright Family Apartment**

Not long after Phoenix left for the office, Edgeworth and Trucy climbed into Edgeworth's immaculate orange sportscar and headed for the high school.

"Trucy," began Edgeworth, once they were on their way, "I had something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Right? Me, too!" Trucy nodded enthusiastically. "What happened? Tell me everything!"

"I…pardon?" Edgeworth glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and frowned. "To what exactly are you referring?"

"Oh, come on," insisted Trucy, "you know exactly what I'm talking about! I mean, you obviously gave Daddy the ring last night, right? So? What happened?"

Taken aback, Edgeworth tried to control his face, but felt himself flushing against his will.

_This is hardly an appropriate topic of discussion for the two of us, _he thought. _Eighteen year old girls are…remarkably forward. Was Franziska much like this, at Trucy's age? Well, no, of course not. By eighteen, Franziska was already a successful and established prosecutor, although that did perhaps make her even more difficult in other, more self-important and egotistical ways. Perhaps women in general are simply…difficult. Ah, but Franziska would whip me to within an inch of my life if I were to make such a scandalously chauvinistic statement aloud. _

"Well?" Trucy was still watching Edgeworth expectantly, with one eyebrow raised. "Come on, tell me!"

Edgeworth coughed. "There is not very much to tell. It was not a very exciting event. I presented the gift, and your father accepted."

"No way," retorted Trucy, planted both hands on her hips and glaring at him in a way that was disturbingly reminiscent of Maya Fey. "I saw the way you and Daddy were looking at each other, this morning, and something was definitely different. Something happened last night at the party, and you have to tell me what it is. Otherwise, I won't be able to help you."

"As far as I am aware," muttered Edgeworth, returning his eyes to the road, "I don't require any help."

"Oh, please," sighed Trucy. "Mr. Edgeworth, you're really great. I mean, I think you're fantastic for Daddy, but when it comes to this romantic stuff, you need all the help you can possibly get. I'm pretty sure you know it, too."

Edgeworth winced. _Possibly, _he admitted to himself, _but although I might benefit from a bit of advice, that advice should certainly not come from the media-soaked and over-romanticized mind of an eighteen year old girl. _

"He's my Daddy," Trucy reminded Edgeworth, as though she was somehow reading the inside of his brain. "I know him better than anybody in the world, except maybe for Maya."

Edgeworth frowned.

_I'm certain that there is no such thing as mind reading, _he assured himself doubtfully. _Skilled or not at the arts of magic and deception, Trucy could not possibly be reading my actual thoughts. Perhaps I have a tell. I'll need to be more wary of that. _

"What I actually wished to discuss with you," he announced, perhaps a bit more loudly than he needed to, "was the question of mathematics."

"Huh?" Trucy blinked. "Math?"

"Yes," repeated Edgeworth, "math. You've already begun applying to universities, and so your grades on this year's examinations will be very significant in regards the admissions process. If I remember correctly, you struggle a bit with your arithmetic studies. I thought perhaps we could talk about some methods of problem solving that you might find useful and easier to understand."

Using his one free hand, he reached under the seat and freed his briefcase, from which he pulled a large manila folder.

"I have, of course, brought some notes," he said. "I combed an old textbook of mine, and have selected a series of logic problems that we might look over."

Trucy gave him a blank look. "Uh…we haven't actually gotten to 'logic' yet in school. That's sort of higher end math, and I'm on the 'less gifted' track."

"All math," retorted Edgeworth, "is essentially logic. Once you've mastered that concept, the rest of mathematics is likely to come much more easily. The beauty of mathematics is that a simple solution can always be reached by applying a series of rules or patterns. It's only a question of finding the right rule, or deducing the right equation. Once you've learned to recognize the logical progression of steps and the patterns inherent, the rest will come much more easily."

"and…uh, you want to work on this right now?" Trucy was still staring.

"If you've time," agreed Edgeworth. "When does school begin?"

Trucy glanced at her watch. "In twenty minutes."

They pulled around the corner and into the school parking lot, where Edgeworth could see several students in the progress of climbing out of cars and running for the front double doors.

_Ah, _he thought, frowning.

"Well," he said aloud, "in that case, perhaps you'd be willing to spend some time with me after classes are over? I have no plans this evening."

Trucy looked torn.

"Um…I already have math homework to do after school," she mumbled.

"And I certainly hope," countered Edgeworth, "that a bit of exploration into the nature of logic will make the completion of that homework a more pleasant experience."

"Y-yeah," sighed Trucy. "I get what you're trying to do, Mr. Edgeworth, and it's really sweet in a vaguely awful academic kind of way, but…how about you just help me with my math homework? I mean, my other Daddy isn't any good at math, so it's not like he'll be any help."

"Yes, but, as I said," began Edgeworth, and then stopped as her words slowly struck home. _Wha…what? What did she say? _

"Your…other father," he repeated, startled.

Trucy just nodded. "Yeah. You're going to be my Daddy too, soon, right? So, I'll have two. One who's good at math, and one who likes logic a little bit too much. Maybe I won't fail out of high school math after all!"

Edgeworth could feel himself flushing again as he tried to come up with a suitable response to that.

"Ah," he began uncomfortably, "Trucy, your father and I have not precisely made any plans to…ahem. Well, that is, we haven't made any concrete, long-term plans, as of yet. Not…as such."

Trucy shrugged, "Maybe you haven't made any plans, but I see the way that Daddy's always looking at you, and besides, I heard him talking to Maya the other night on the phone."

"Talking?" Edgeworth frowned. "Talking about what, exactly? You…know something?"

"I sure do!" She gave him one of her most beatific little smiles. "Help me with my math homework, and maybe I'll tell you all about it."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "It has obviously been my intention all along to assist you with your math."

"No," insisted Trucy, wagging a finger at him in an all-too-familiar gesture that sent a weird little shiver down his spine. "No logic problems. No extra work. Just help me with my regular school math homework, and then we can talk."

For a moment, they sat in silence, watching each other.

"This borders on coercion," muttered Edgeworth.

Trucy shrugged. "Maybe. Are you going to press charges?"

Despite himself, Edgeworth smiled. "No. I don't believe I am."

"Okay." Trucy grinned at him, then grabbed her backpack off the floor and pushed open the passenger side door. "In that case, Mr. Edgeworth, I'll see you after school! Have a great day!"

She hopped out of the car and headed towards the school building, leaving Edgeworth staring at the manila folder full of math notes, feeling vaguely bemused.

_Parenting, _he thought, shaking his head and returning the folder to his briefcase. _It is not, perhaps, as obvious and logical as it at first appears. Perhaps Phoenix deserves more credit than I've given him thus far…_

**Meanwhile, at the Detention Center…**

Phoenix and Larry sat in the visitor's room, watching as the guard returned, leading a dejected and confused looking Jelanda Butz by the arm.

She was an incredibly beautiful, full-figured woman with ripe red lips and coffee-colored skin. She would, in fact, have been nothing short of breathtaking if it hadn't been for the dazed and vacant look that never seemed to leave her eyes.

_This woman couldn't plan a murder to save her life, _thought Phoenix, shaking his head. _I'm pretty sure she's the type who never learned to balance a checkbook and always skips straight to the last chapter of the grocery-store shelf romance novels. Then again…I've been fooled by first impressions before._

The innocent, smiling face of Iago Bleek loomed up suddenly in the back of his mind, and he bit down hard on his lip and sighed.

"Jelly, sweetie!" Larry pressed both hands up against the glass partition, and gave his wife a miserable, tearful little half-smile. "I'm here, baby. There's nothing to worry about any more! Nick's gonna get you out of here in no time!"

_No time is right, _thought Phoenix. _Or rather, 'no time' is just what we've got. The trial is tomorrow, and we have barely anything to work with, if you count both Larry and Jelanda. Apollo's down at the Criminal Affairs department talking to…someone friendly, I hope, and Athena's back at the office looking up anything and everything that the media already has on this case. _

"Oh, Mr. Wright," sniffled Jelanda prettily. "You have to help me…you just have to! It's so dark and lonely in this place…I'm so scared!"

"Right," mumbled Phoenix, taking out the same notebook that he'd originally used to jot down the details of the case. "Just tell me one thing, Jelanda; why did they bring you in here? The police didn't seem very interested in you yesterday, when you discovered the body. What changed their minds?"

"Hey, come on, Nick." Larry shot him a startled and disappointed look. "Doesn't that seem like an awfully suspicious question? You know my Jelly didn't do it, right? RIGHT?"

"I have to get as many facts as I can, Larry," replied Phoenix wearily. "If I don't know what the police have on her, then it'll be really hard for me to make any kind of a case."

Jelanda was frowning a beautiful but vague little frown, down at her perfectly manicured little hands. The nails, Phoenix noted, were pink and immaculate.

"W-well," she began slowly, "I guess it might have had something to do with all that blood on my new dress…"

Phoenix sighed. _Oh, yeah, _he thought, _that probably had something to do with it. _

"And," Jelanda went on, after a moment's thought, "the police probably weren't too happy when they found where I'd hid the rest of the vodka bottle."

Phoenix stared. "You mean…you hid the broken vodka bottle that the victim was stabbed with?"

Jelanda just nodded. "Mmmhmm. That's the one."

"But…w-why? Why would you do something like that?" Phoenix glanced at Larry, but Larry hadn't taken his eyes off of Jelanda for a second.

Jelanda just shrugged. "It was all messy, and broken glass is dangerous," she explained sweetly. "I didn't want anybody putting their hand on it, or stepping on it or nothing. It'd be bad for business, so I put it away in the back of the cabinet where no one was likely to mess with it."

"You…put a piece of broken glass covered with blood in the back of the cabinet," echoed Phoenix hollowly. "Why…why didn't you just throw it in the trash, exactly?"

"We were out of trash bags," Jelanda informed him. "You're never supposed to throw trash in an empty can. Only makes more work for later!"

"She's right, you know," agreed Larry nodding emphatically. "That's my Jelly for you….always so thoughtful and considerate! That's my girl."

_Give me a break, _thought Phoenix, barely managing not to roll his eyes. _Come on, Larry, even you have to be able to see what a mess this is. Why would a totally innocent woman hide a murder weapon? No one in her right mind would do a thing like that…but then again, I'm pretty sure no_ _one in her right mind would have agreed to marry you. Are we positive that we don't want Jelanda to just plead insanity and call it a day? _

"Jelanda," he said aloud, not quite daring to hope, "do the police have any reason to believe that you harbored ill will towards the victim, Mr. Karlos Patron?"

Jelanda blinked. "Scuse me?"

Phoenix frowned. "Did you," he repeated, a bit more slowly than perhaps he needed to, "have any reason not to like Mr. Patron?"

"Oh, no." Jelanda shook her head emphatically. "No, he was a very, very nice man. I mean…I suppose he did get a little handsy, sometimes, but I guess that's to be expected, with men. All the men at the bar get a little handsy, sometimes. It's just how silly men can be, I guess."

She laughed a vapid and nauseating little laugh.

_Hey, _thought Phoenix, _not all men are like that! There are still some gentlemen out there. I'd never make unwanted advances on a woman, and neither would Miles, although I guess Miles would probably never make any kind of advance on a woman, so maybe that doesn't count. Remind me never to agree to let Trucy work in a bar, ever. Wait, no, she already works in a bar. She does shows at the Wonder Bar three nights a week. Maybe…maybe that's not such a great idea. Maybe I should be attending all of her shows, equipped with a baseball bat. Agh…speaking as a father, sometimes I hate men! _

"Hey," called Larry, interrupting Phoenix's reverie, "Earth to Nick! Are you listening? I thought you were trying to get the facts of the case! Don't zone out on me, man!"

"Sorry," muttered Phoenix, shaking his head. "Yes, I'm listening. So, essentially the answer to my question was; yes, you did have some reason to dislike the victim. He'd made inappropriate advances, apparently on more than one occasion."

"Oh, it was nothing," insisted Jelanda, waving that away with one lovely hand.

_I wonder, _thought Phoenix, _if I can turn that into a motive for Larry to have killed the guy..._

"Nick," insisted Larry, shaking Phoenix by the arm. "Do you know who's prosecuting, tomorrow?"

"I have no idea," said Phoenix truthfully.

"It's not Edgey, is it?" Larry frowned. "I mean, Edgey's one of us. He's an old pal. He might go easy on her!"

_As delusional as always,_ thought Phoenix, shaking his head. _Edgeworth's never gone easy on me. Why would he make an exception for you? _

"I can say for certain that whoever ends up prosecuting, it won't be Edgeworth," Phoenix informed him. "We have an agreement."

"Oh, riiiiight." Larry nodded knowingly. "Because you're, uh...you know, TOGETHER, right? Aw, man, that's kind of a drag. I bet he'd be super easy, just for you."

While Phoenix tried to figure out what planet Larry Butz was still somehow managing to live on, Larry screwed up his face in what honestly looked like sincere and focused thought.

"Nick," he said seriously, after several long moments of deep consideration. "Can I...ask you something?"

"Sure," said Phoenix, shrugging, taken aback by Larry's unexpectedly serious face. "Why not? Go ahead."

"Right." Larry frowned, and then took a deep breath. "So...uh, Nick. Are you...are you gay?"

Phoenix blinked. "Wha...?"

"I mean, I was just thinking about it," Larry went on, nodding to himself, "and I mean, you're sort of...uh, you're dating a guy, right? So...you must be gay. You are gay, right? Um, what's that like? Being gay, I mean. Is it weird? I mean, uh, not WEIRD, weird, but, like..."

Larry kept talking, but Phoenix was no longer listening. He couldn't even manage to be offended.

_We're in the middle of a murder case, _he thought. _The only woman who could probably ever really love you goes on trial for murder first thing in the morning, and THIS is what you want to be talking about, right now? Unbelievable..._

**Fin. **

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

Just a short little character-driven chapter tonight, but worry not; we're getting into the meat of the story starting in the very next chapter! I hope you're excited, becaues I know that I am!**  
**

Today's discussion question:

**What do you think was Phoenix's best subject in school?**

**What was Edgeworth's best subject?**

**What were their worst subjects? **


	56. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Fifteen

**Author's Note: **Well, an update each day as obviously too much for me to promise, this week. Very sorry.

L'Shanah Tovah, or Happy Rosh Hashanah, by the way!

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen: Blood Bank – Part One**

**October 3, 2029**

**1:00 AM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

Edgeworth no longer left his cell phone on the bedside table. Now, he kept it under his pillow, where it would be easy to grab and answer in a moment.

When it rang that night, just after midnight, he was already dreading the call.

"Hello?" Groggily, he pushed himself up on to his elbows and whispered into the phone. "What is it?"

"Good morning, Mr. Edgeworth," sighed Detective Skye on the other end of the line. "I bet you can guess why I'm calling."

_Yes, _thought Edgeworth unhappily. _ I believe that I can. _

"I assume that another body has been found," he said quietly.

"Yep," agreed Ema. "Good guess."

She sounded unusually grim, and there was no humor in the sarcastic little games they were playing.

_Ah, _thought Edgeworth. _Whatever has happened has hit closer to home, this time. _

He took a deep breath. "Well, let's have it. Who's been killed?"

Ema paused a moment before answering. "It's Aura Blackquill, sir. Stabbed to death with a pocketknife, just like the others."

_What? _Edgeworth blinked. _Ms. Blackquill_? _Why? That makes no sense at all. She was not a witness at the Bleek trial. She had nothing whatsoever to do with that case, or with Bleek himself. I…do not understand. At first, I was so horribly certain that it was Maya's body they'd found. Thank god, at least, that I was wrong._

Suddenly, the image of Simon Blackquill's stern and stoic face swam into the back of Edgeworth's mind, and he winced, cursing softly under his breath.

"Sir?" Ema sounded startled.

"Nevermind," snapped Edgeworth, still doing his best to keep his voice as low as possible. "Where did you find her?"

"At the Gatewater hotel," replied Ema. "The body was lying on the terrace, just outside the ballroom on the first floor.. I'm assuming she died from the blood loss, but we're still waiting for science to bring us some more accurate answers."

_The terrace,_ thought Edgeworth, imagining the bloodless body of Simon's fiery and outspoken sister, lying limp and even paler than usual right in the center of the spot where Phoenix had kissed him so ardently the night before. The thought of that incontestably magical place, when Phoenix had stood grinning and admiring the new ring on his right hand was now tinged incurably with Aura Blackquill's blood, and Edgeworth suddenly felt nauseous as the bile rose in his throat.

"Mr. Edgeworth," began Ema. "I-!"

"I'm coming," mumbled Edgeworth, sliding out of bed and reaching for the suit he'd left hanging on the knob of the half-open closet door. "Continue with your investigation, Detective. I'll join you shortly."

He hung up the phone, turned around to place it on the bedside table, and found Phoenix sitting up in bed, watching him.

"Maya," said Phoenix hoarsely. "She's…where is she?"

Edgeworth winced. "Ah. You're awake after all."

Phoenix nodded. "Tell me," he insisted, his jaw set in hard line. He was unconsciously balling up bits of blanket in his palms as he spoke, and Edgeworth reached out to lay a quelling hand on his.

"As far as we know," Edgeworth assured Phoenix, "Maya is fine. We haven't heard from her, or from Detective Gumshoe, and in this case, no news is likely to be good news. You may calm your fears on her account."

Phoenix looked surprised, and exhaled in intense relief.

"Thank god," he muttered, shaking his head and sagging a little. "I…but…wait, Miles, if it wasn't Maya, then…who's dead?"

That question wasn't as easy to answer.

Edgeworthcleared his throat, and averted his eyes. "The body of Ms. Aura Blackquill was just found at the Gatewater hotel. Detective Skye has yet to provide me with any concrete details, but it is reasonable to assume that-!"

"Aura?" Phoenix had gone pale. "Wait, did you say Aura Blackquill? But..Miles, why?"

Edgeworth opened his mouth, but found that he really had no idea what to say.

_Perhaps, _he thought, _there really is nothing to say. I have no useful comfort to offer. Words would be nothing more than meaningless platitudes in this case. _

They sat quietly together on the bed for a moment as the second hand ticked audibly around the face of the wall clock shaped like an attorney's badge, which Maya had given Phoenix for his most recent birthday.

"So," asked Phoenix eventually, not looking directly at Edgeworth, "you're going?"

"Y-yes," muttered Edgeworth. "Naturally."

Phoenix nodded slowly to himself. "Okay" he said, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and getting to his feet. "Then I'm coming with you."

Edgeworth didn't see any point in arguing.

They both got dressed in the dark, and then silently left the apartment and headed for the parking lot.

The short drive to the Gatewater hotel was also a silent one. Edgeworth still wasn't certain what was worth being said, and Phoenix didn't seem interested in voicing his obviously troubled thoughts aloud. He just sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window with his fists clenched in his lap until they turned into the Gatewater parking lot.

Ema was waiting for Edgeworth on the terrace, amidst the grim hustle and bustle of the police investigation. She looked startled when she saw Phoenix, and shot a quick, questioning glance at Edgeworth, who just shook his head.

"Ema," asked Phoenix abruptly, "what happened? Was it Bleek?"

Ema bit her lip uncertainly, and then nodded. "Y-yes, Mr. Wright. We think so. I mean, he left his traces everywhere, again. Fingerprints, footprints, and blood, just like before. Of course, Ms. Blackquill doesn't really fit the pattern; or, at least, she doesn't fit what we thought the pattern was. I guess we were wrong. After all, it's just like Mr. Edgeworth said;two victims don't exactly make up a real 'pattern,' but still…"

She kept talking, but Edgeworth wasn't really listening. He was busy watching Phoenix, who had just spotted the body of what had once been Aura Blackquill, lying in, unexpectedly and horribly, exactly the same spot on the terrace where Edgeworth had first offered Phoenix the ring. There was a pocketknife still plunged in her chest, and her head was lolling to one side, her eyes and mouth both mercifully closed, perhaps by some benevolent police officer. Pinned to her chest with the bloody knife was a spattered scrap of yellowish paper, which Edgeworth recognized almost immediately as a piece of Gatewater Hotel stationary.

"Why," whispered Phoenix. "Why is this happening?"

Edgeworth assumed that it was a rhetorical question, but Ema answered anyway.

"We're not sure," she admitted, shaking her head. "Like I said, Ms. Blackquill doesn't fit the pattern so far. Detective Maggey and Ms. Spine were witnesses at the Bleek trial, but Ms. Blackquill wasn't. As far as I can tell, the only connection she has to any of this is that she's Prosecutor Simon Blackquill's sister."

Edgeworth frowned impatiently. "Yes, and? What of that?"

Ema shrugged. "How should I know, sir? I mean…I suppose it's possible that Mr. Bleek is trying to get back at everyone involved in the charge against him. Maybe he's not just going after witnesses. Maybe he's going after anyone connected with the prosecution. Mr. Blackquill was the prosecutor on the Bleek case, so maybe Bleek killed Aura as a sort of revenge. I'm not sure why Bleek didn't just go after Simon himself, but maybe Bleek has some kind of crazy vendetta against women."

Edgeworth froze.

_If that is indeed the case, _he thought, _then any woman even remotely connected the Bleek trial or any of its playe is potentially in mortal danger. Franziska…but, no, that's ridiculous. Franziska is in Germany, of course, and far out of anyone's reach. Detective Skye is a far more likely target for Bleek's apparently insane rage. She is, after all, a member of the same police department as Detective Maggey Gumshoe, and therefore she, too, worked on the initial investigation of the Dobler murder. Perhaps she doesn't fully realize the jeopardy she's in._

He glanced up at Ema, and found her nodding seriously at him.

"Yeah," she said "I know. I might be next, right? I've thought about that, too, but I'm not likely to go down without a fight."

_You're a forensics expert, _thought Edgeworth, _hardly trained in combat. Do you truly believe that you are less likely to be a victim than Detective Maggey Gumshoe, or is this, perhaps, nothing more than the bravado of desperation?_

"I've gone ahead and sent an officer to the Wright Anything Agency," continued Ema, through and around Edgeworth's thoughts. "If we're assuming that all women connected to the case are in trouble, Athena's probably a target. Lana's got a guard with her at all times, although she's really pretty capable of taking care of herself."

_Trucy, _thought Edgeworth suddenly, alarm bells going off in his head.

"Detective Skye," he barked, "send an armed officer to Mr. Wright's apartment immediately. I will provide you with an apartment key."

Ema blinked. "R-right," she said, "Trucy! I'd totally forgotten about Trucy! Yeah, I'll get on it right away!"

Ema pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and began dialing.

"It's going to be fine," began Edgeworth, clearing his throat and trying to sound as comforting as he could. He put on his bravest face and turned back to where Phoenix was now crouched by the body. "Trucy will be all right. There is nothing at all for you to worry about. Detective Skye will see to appropriate protective precautions."

He stopped, because Phoenix didn't seem to be listening. He hadn't even looked up when Edgeworth had first said Trucy's name. Instead he seemed to be staring at the piece of yellow stationary pinned cruelly in the center of the victim's chest.

"You're wrong," Phoenix mumbled.

"What?" Edgeworth frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Look," said Phoenix, pointing at the paper.

Edgeworth looked.

There were only a few words scrawled across the paper in scratchy but fully legible writing.

They read, "ROBOTS DON'T MAKE MISTAKES."

"See," said Phoenix, jabbing a finger at the paper. "You have to see it, now. How could I have been such an idiot?"

Edgeworth shook his head. "I have no idea what you are talking about. What does this mean?"

"Robots don't make mistakes," mumbled Phoenix. "It's…that's pretty much the very last thing that Aura said to me when I met her at the party. She was taunting me, saying that a robot wouldn't have messed up the Bleek trial."

_That's right, _thought Edgeworth, frowning. _I do remember overhearing a comment of that nature, just as I was leaving the buffet table. _

"Ema," asked Phoenix in a shaky voice, "there were notes attached to the other two bodies too, right? Both Maggey and Ms. Spine were found with notes on or next to them. Do you remember what the notes said?"

"I sure do," replied Ema, nodding. "The note we found on Detective Maggey said, 'BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME,' and the one we found on Ms. Spine said 'YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED.'" She looked pleased with herself. "Years of scientific investigation have given me a pretty accurate memory."

Phoenix just nodded. "Yeah," he agreed. "That's right. 'BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME,' and 'YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED.' I didn't really get what those notes meant until just now, but….now it seems so obvious." He gritted his teeth and shook his head. "Or…maybe it was obvious all along. Maybe I just didn't want to believe it."

"What are you talking about?" The increasingly panicky look on Phoenix's face was making Edgeworth extremely nervous. "What is the significance of these inane notes that the killer has been leaving?"

For a while, Phoenix didn't say anything.

"The last thing that Maggey Gumshoe ever said to me," he said shakily, after a long and tense moment, "was 'Better luck next time,' or something like it, anyway. The last thing I ever heard from Susan Spine was pretty much, 'you ought to be ashamed'. You remember, Miles, don't you? You were there when she said that."

"I…was, yes," agreed Edgeworth as Phoenix's meaning began to sink in. "But…you can't possibly presume that she-!"

"He's not just targeting any woman connected to the Bleek case," interrupted Phoenix harshly. "He's following me. For whatever reason, he's targeting women…or, no, he's targeting people connected with me, or maybe connected to me through the Dobler murder case."

"Impossible," muttered Edgeworth, his mind reeling. "Preposterous."

"It's not preposterous or impossible," retorted Phoenix, his voice breaking as the knuckles of his clenched fists turned whiter and whiter against his sides. "Look at the evidence, Miles. What other conclusion can you possibly draw? Don't ask me why; I don't know why, but he's killing people who get too close to me."

There was a slightly crazed expression now in Phoenix's eyes, and Edgeworth could see that Phoenix was losing the little control he'd managed to maintain thus far. Edgeworth took a step forward, and Phoenix hurriedly jumped to his feet and staggered backwards.

"Phoenix," began Edgeworth warningly.

"Get away from me," snapped Phoenix, shaking his head and holding both hands out in front of him in a warding gesture. "Didn't you hear what I said? It's dangerous to be around me. I'm the reason for all of this. People are dying because of me."

"Nonsense," insisted Edgeworth, a bit more loudly. "We have no reason whatsoever to believe in this ridiculous theory of yours. It's mere conjecture."

"And what," retorted Phoenix, "if I'm right? Is it really worth the risk?"

Before Edgeworth even had a chance to respond, Phoenix turned on Ema.

"Send an officer to my house," he begged her. "No, send two officers. Send as many as you can possibly spare. Please, just...take care of my daughter."

Ema nodded. "I'll do that. Don't worry, Mr. Wright, Trucy's going to be just fine. I promise, we won't let anything happen to her."

"Right." Phoenix nodded and took a deep breath. "G-good. Thanks."

Turning back to Edgeworth, he added, "I need you to call Maya and Pearl. Make sure they know what's going on. Make sure Detective Gumshoe knows everything, too."

"You can speak to them all yourself," Edgeworth reminded him. "They are staying upstairs, at the hotel. We'll go to them shortly."

"No," insisted Phoenix, shaking his head emphatically. "No, we won't. I can't see them. I can't see anyone. Don't you get it, Miles? No matter what you do, keep them away from me! Just keep everyone away from away from me. I'm...I'm poisonous."

The anguish and confusion on Phoenix's face was too much for Edgeworth. Something twisted painfully deep inside his chest, and he shook his head firmly.

"Nick," he said carefully, in a quiet, far more intimate tone of voice then he ever allowed himself to use in any public place. "Please, calm down. This is ludicrous and far-fetched nonsense, all of it. You're driving yourself to distraction with this unfounded theory. You have always had a remarkably infuriating imagination but surely even you can see that this fantasy of yours is incredibly implausible. It's insane."

He took another, careful step forward, and Phoenix instantly recoiled.

"S-stay away," he mumbled helplessly, shaking his head like a frightened child. "Please, Miles. I...I can't lose you."

With that he turned, straightened his collar, and strode back into the hotel ballroom. After a moment he disappeared around the corner, and Edgeworth found himself, yet again, at a loss.

"Mr. Edgeworth," asked Ema hesitantly, "um, are you going to go after him?"

Edgeworth shook his head wearily. "No," he said. "The man is obviously distraught. It won't be possible to have a rational conversation with him until he's gotten control of himself. Phoenix Wright is an emotional man. He feels things very deeply; to his detriment, in many cases."

"He was beating himself up pretty bad," remarked Ema.

"Yes," sighed Edgeworth. "I doubt there is anything that I can do to stop that. Not even I can wrestle his demons for him. I have certainly tried."

Ema nodded. "Well," she mused, "I mean, can you really blame him? Three people have been murdered by a guy he defended in court. I mean, you and I both know that Mr. Wright couldn't have made a mistake, so Bleek must have been innocent, that time, but it's not hard to see why Mr. Wright's so cut up about it, and now it looks like Bleek's actually killing people who are connected somehow to Mr. Wright. No wonder he's in bad shape."

Edgeworth scowled. "You don't seriously believe that ridiculous theory of Wright's. There are a hundred other reasons why Detective Gumshoe, Ms. Spine and Ms. Blackquill might have been selected. No doubt it has nothing whatsoever to do with Wright's involvement."

For a long moment, Ema said nothing. Edgeworth shot her a sharp look, and she just sighed and shook her head.

"I have to be honest with you, Mr. Edgeworth," she admitted with a shrug. "Mr. Wright has a point. I mean...for once, all the evidence really is on his side. At this point, maybe I'm not sure what to believe."

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **This episode will be a long one, with multiple parts, examining the perspectives of multiple characters.

I hope you're excited, because I know that I am!

Unfortunately, though, I won't be updating again until Monday. On Monday, though, I promise to give you a good, juicy update (or maybe two, if I manage it!)**  
**

For the final discussion question of the week:

**Well, since unfortunately we've seen the last of Aura Blackquill (who I actually really like), what do you all think of her? Do you like Aura, or do you hate her? Was she an interesting character in the game, or not really? **

**Should I maybe write a fic someday in which I don't kill her off? **


	57. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Sixteen

**Author's Note:**

Surprise update!

I got off work earlier than expected today, which leaves me some time to write. It's a beautiful warm night, I'm sitting in my tent enjoying the sound of what must be an alarmingly large number of crickets, and I'm excited to get the chance to write. A great end to a wonderful day!

So, here we go. Let's hope this chapter doesn't suck.

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: Blood Bank – Part Two**

**October 3, 2029**

**8:00 AM**

**The Wright Anything Agency**

Phoenix never returned the crime scene. Edgeworth hadn't thought he would.

Edgeworth and Ema spent hours going over the body, the scene and a witness report from the night janitor who'd first found the body.

By the time they'd finished with their initial investigation, it was already almost eight o'clock, and the hotel was starting to come alive. Morbidly curious hotel patrons had to be fended off by a couple of police officers stationed at the ballroom door.

Ema sighed.

"Sometimes," she muttered, "I hate people, Mr. Edgeworth."

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth, scowling at the ballroom door. "It's disgusting how they crowd around the scene of any sufficiently gruesome crime, but it's to be expected Murder is a fascinating source of entertainment for the masses. Just look at what are currently the most popular television programs. Distasteful, morbid stuff."

"She was someone's sister," sighed Ema, giving Aura's body an uncharacteristically sad little look. "Someone loved her. She's not just something exciting to stare at. I mean, if it had been my sister…"

Ema paused, frowned, and then turned away to clear her throat. Edgeworth averted his eyes and allowed her the emotional moment, gallantly, if awkwardly pretending not to notice.

"A-anyway," she said eventually, shaking her head and returning her attention to the body, "it looks like there's nothing more we can do here, for right now. Thanks for everything, Mr. Edgeworth. I'm sure you'll be hearing from me."

Edgeworth nodded. "Good morning, Detective."

He did his best not to show it, but he was eager to get away. The image of Phoenix's stricken face kept appearing in the back of his distracted brain, and as far as Edgeworth knew, Phoenix's cell phone was still missing, which meant he couldn't even call to check and see what rash and ridiculous thing Phoenix had decided to do in light of his ludicrous new theory about the serial murders.

_He'll be at the office by now, _thought Edgeworth. _No doubt he returned there as soon as he left the hotel. I'll stop by on my way to the courthouse. With any luck, he'll be feeling composed enough for a rational conversation by the time I reach him._

Edgeworth left Ema and drove as quickly as he could to the Wright Anything Agency. He parked his car in front of the building, and knocked at the door.

Almost immediately, it opened to reveal the white and frantic face of Athena Cykes.

"Mr. Edgeworth?" She frowned. "Um, wait, the boss isn't with you?"

"What?" Edgeworth frowned. "No, I'm afraid he isn't. I'd assumed he'd be here."

Athena shook her head, chewing nervously on her lip. "He's not here," she said. "He's not here, and I can't reach him. I called his cell phone lots of times, but he isn't picking up."

_Obviously, _thought Edgeworth.

"Perhaps he returned to the apartment once we parted company," suggested Edgeworth reasonably. "It is, after all, still a bit early in the morning."

Athena shook her head. "No, um, it isn't! I mean…not today, anyway. He should have been here an hour ago! There's…no way he forgot about it, is there? That's not like Mr. Wright at all! I mean, I guess there has kind of been a lot going on lately, but, still…"

"I don't follow," interrupted Edgeworth. "What are we talking about? Is something significant happening this morning?"

Athena just stared." Um, don't you know, Mr. Edgeworth? Mrs. Butz's murder trial is today! It's…it starts in an hour! We should already be leaving for the courthouse by now, but…" She shrugged helplessly. "Mr. Wright is supposed to be here. This is his case! Larry's going to go nuts if the boss doesn't show up, soon."

_Ah, _thought Edgeworth, _of course. In light of everything that's happened this morning, I'd completely forgotten that the trial was today. Luckily, I believe that Gavin has been assigned to this particular case. No doubt Mr. Blackquill will require some suitable time to grieve before he's prepared to prosecute. _

"What do you think, Mr. Edgeworth?" Athena sighed. "Do you think I should just go without him?"

"I'm certain that Wright will turn up," replied Edgeworth, far less certain than he was trying to sound. "If the worst does come to pass, then no doubt Mr. Justice can serve as an admirable understudy."

Again, Athena shook her head. "Not today he can't," she said. "Apollo's already at the courthouse. He's defending another client, so he won't be available today."

Edgeworth winced. "That's unfortunate. You are, however, no doubt competent to handle the case on your own, are you not?"

Athena swallowed hard, then nodded, taking a deep breath and straightening herself up. "Y-yeah. I mean, of course I am. It's just…no, nevermind. Leave it to me, Mr. Edgeworth. I've got this!"

She pumped one fist enthusiastically in the air and was just starting to look a little less panicky when the door to Phoenix's private office flew open, and Larry Butz came hurtling out, his face white as a sheet and his eyes bloodshot with panic and exhaustion.

"Nick," he rasped. "Nick, where's Nick?"

"Um." Athena shot a quick look at Edgeworth. "Well, uh, Mr. Butz, there's sort of been a chance of plan. Looks like the boss is super busy today, so I'm going to be the one defending your wife, okay?"

Larry just stared. "Wha…huh?"

"It's going to be fine," Athena reassured him, giving him her very best confident and dazzling smile. "There's absolutely nothing to worry about. We'll get her out of there in no time at all!"

She grinned, but Larry just continued to gape.

"N-Nick," he mumbled desperately. "Wh…where's Nick? This isn't…THIS CAN'T BEHAPPENING!"

Abruptly, h e collapsed onto the sofa, buried his face in his hands and began to sob.

"Yes, well," muttered Edgeworth, giving Larry a disgusted look, "I see that some things never change."

"Nick," sniffled Larry. "Why, man? Why would you leave me high and dry like this? What happened to the bond of friendship? What happened to US?"

Athena sighed.

"It's…it's really gonna be fine, Mr. Butz," she mumbled, although she didn't sound nearly as confident anymore.

_Larry tends to have that effect on people, Miss Cykes, _thought Edgeworth. _Don't allow it to unsettle you too much. _

"She's DOOMED," slobbered Larry. "Doomed. My poor, pretty, precious little Jelly…"

"Hey," said Athena, frowning at him, "come on, I'm actually a pretty good lawyer!"

_You're an excellent lawyer, indeed, _thought Edgeworth, _but you'll be at a disadvantage, going into the courtroom alone, and especially with Mrs. Jelanda Butz as your client. I'm certain that Phoenix never intended to abandon you. It's so uncharacteristic as to be ridiculous. No doubt his panic and distress of this morning have wiped all thoughts of the Butz case from his mind. When he does remember, or learns of his mistake he'll of course be even more distraught. For all that Larry has been nothing but a leeching nuisance over the years, Phoenix seems determined to play his knight in shining armor. He'd never willingly abandon Larry to any variously deserved terrible fate. For his sake, I cannot allow this case to spin any farther out of control._

"Larry," said Edgeworth. "Calm down. "You're embarrassing both Miss Cykes, and yourself."

Larry just snuffled miserably in response.

"I remain convinced," Edgeworth went on, "that Wright will shortly make an appearance. However, in the meantime, I suppose I have no choice."

Shaking his head and pursing his lips in frustration, Edgeworth turned to Athena.

"Come, Miss Cykes," he said. "You say the trial is in an hour. In that case, let's be on our way."

Without waiting for a response, he headed for the door again. Behind him, he could hear Larry still sniffling and sobbing.

For a moment, it didn't sound like Athena was going to follow.

"W-wait, Mr. Edgeworth," she said, obviously confused. "Wh…what's going on?"

**An hour or so later, inside Courtroom No. 3…**

"Court is now in session for the trial of Jelanda Butz," announced the bailiff, taking center stage. "All rise."

Everyone in the courtroom got to his or her feet as the judge slowly ascended to the bench, yawned, and shook his head.

"I'm beginning to get a bit too old for this," he sighed, glancing over at Klavier Gavin behind the prosecution's bench. "Are we all ready, then?"

Gavin gave the judge a stage-worthy smile, and bowed. "The prosecution is ready, your honor."

"Very good." The judge nodded, and turned to the defense's bench. "Is the defense…? Oh." He stopped, frowned, and raised an eyebrow. "Ah, forgive me, Mr. Edgeworth, but what exactly are you doing behind the defense's bench?"

Athena shot Edgeworth a quick, worried look, but he just shrugged.

"Due to an unforeseen and unfortunate change of circumstances," he explained placidly to the judge, "I will be serving as Miss Cykes' understudy for today's trial. I trust that won't be a problem."

The judge blinked. "A…problem? W-well, not a problem, exactly, but…Mr. Edgeworth, you are the district Chief Prosecutor, you know."

"Indeed," agreed Edgeworth. "I am aware. You may therefore place your confidence in my legal qualifications, and we may assume that I am more than competent to conduct this trial. I am, of course, willing to listen to anyone who wishes to make an argument to the contrary."

He glanced first at the judge, then at Gavin, and then out into the gallery, scowling and daring each and every person in the room to lodge a complaint.

Gavin snorted a laugh. "This is about to get interesting."

Edgeworth returned his attention to the judge, who just gave him a weary sort of half-smile, and shrugged.

"Stranger things have happened in my courtroom," he announced. "I see no particular problem with the arrangement, so I'll allow it. Honestly, I'm just curious to see what you're like as a defense attorney. I can't bring myself to pass up the opportunity."

Edgeworth inclined his head politely. "You flatter me, Your Honor, but Miss Cykes is the attorney in charge of this defense. I am merely a second."

"Understood," said the judge. "Well, in that case…is the defense, in fact, ready?"

Edgeworth looked at Athena, who swallowed, nodded, and flashed a hesitant smile.

"The defense is ready, Your Honor!"

"Very well." The judge looked pleased. "In that case, it seems that we're in for a bit of an unconventional treat today, so let's begin. The prosecution may call the first witness."

**Meanwhile, outside the entrance to People Park…**

Phoenix sat on the ground with his back up against the fence, and opened his large blue binder full of clippings, notes, transcripts and photographs all pertaining to the initial trial of Iago Bleek. He turned to the one photograph that he found himself looking at over, and over again; a picture of Iago Bleek's hesitantly smiling face, taken by some eager reporter just after the "Not Guilty" verdict had been passed down.

Phoenix's hands were still shaking. He'd been shaking for hours, ever since he'd left the scene of Aura Blackquill's murder, and of course he'd skipped breakfast, which probably wasn't helping. He was having trouble focusing, and the photograph kept swimming in front of his eyes, going blurry and then solid again as Phoenix's brain rebelled against the onslaught of panic that he'd been fighting all morning.

Mechanically, he fumbled in his pocket for his cell phone, hoping to call Maya, or Trucy, or Athena to see where they were and what they were doing. He wanted to hear their voices, to be sure that they were still alive and well, but when he pulled his hand back out of his pocket, it was empty.

_My cell phone's still missing, _he reminded himself. _Where is it? What the heck did I do with it? Miles is right. I…I really need to keep better track of my things. I need to talk to my daughter, but…I can't. _

He wondered, not for the first or even the third time how good security was at Trucy's school.

_Ema's going to send someone to keep an eye on her, _he reminded himself, trying not to picture the myriad of unfamiliar faces that swam through a public school hallway on any given day of the week. _She's going to be fine. Ema won't let me down._

Ema, he knew, had already promised to send someone to his office, so of course Athena would be aware of what was going on, by now. Maya was already under guard, and Detective Gumshoe would be even more eager than most to fend off the attempts of the man who'd murdered his wife.

_But, _realized Phoenix, _what about Apollo? He'll be at the courthouse, won't he? That's…that's probably a safe enough place to be, isn't it? Miles. Miles is either still at the crime scene, or at the Prosecutor's Office. He'll be surrounded by policemen and other prosecutors, but…wait, didn't Aura work at the Prosecutor's Office, too? How did Bleek get to her? _

Phoenix's mind reeled, and he felt sick to his empty stomach.

"I…GAH!" He snapped the binder shut and buried his face in his hands, feeling frantic tears beginning to prick at the corners of his eyes. "I…what have I done? I don't know how to make this stop…"

"Hey," called a familiar voice from somewhere a few feet in front of Phoenix. "Mr. Wright, is that you?"

Phoenix looked up to see Guy Eldoon of Eldoon's noodles walking towards him, holding a steaming bowl of noodles in each hand.

_No, _thought Phoenix desperately. _G-go away! Get away from me!_

"You okay, Mr. Wright?" Eldoon was frowning. "You look, uh…pretty messed up. Bet you could do with a nice bowl of salty hot noodles, right about now."

He grinned and proffered a bowl, but Phoenix just shook his head frantically and scrambled to his feet.

"Stay away," mumbled Phoenix. "Just…just leave me alone. Please, I…!"

Shaking his head, he tucked his binder under his arm, dodged around Eldoon and made a break for the street.

"Hey, Mr. Wright," called Eldoon behind him, sounding startled. "What…hey, come back here! What's this all about?"

Phoenix didn't answer. He just ran.

He could still feel the eyes on his back.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **

Please don't be too hard on poor Phoenix. Yes, he made kind of a big mistake, and yes, he is kind of behaving in a ridiculously paranoid way right now, but let's keep in mind that three people have been murdered, and that he's convinced (with some good reason) that it's all his fault.

Cut the guy a break...because you know that I won't.

Today's discussion question:

**Let's do some turning about of our own!**

**Which of the prosecutors would you most like to see as a defense attorney?**

**Which of the defense attorneys would you most like to see as a prosecutor?**

**I personally think Athena would make a killer prosecutor. Of course, I know that this isn't a fair or realistic question, but, hey, in the world of AA, apparently all sorts of unrealistic stuff can happen, so go to it!**


	58. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Seventeen

**Author's Note: **SURPRISE! Double Monday update! HUZZAH!

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen: Blood Bank – Maya's Side**

**October 3, 2029**

**11:00 AM**

**The Gatewater Suite**

It was a nice, sunny morning and it looked like it would be an even nicer afternoon. Forbidden from going out to play, Maya and Pearl sat together on the bed in Maya's hotel room and watched daytime television.

Maya was bored and antsy. She hated soap operas, and that seemed to be the only thing on any of the channels the hotel got.

"I wonder if everybody in Kurain is okay," she sighed. "There's been a lot going on. You think maybe they're worried about me?"

Pearl nodded emphatically. "I'm sure they are, Mystic Maya. You're their leader! I bet they're all super scared! There might be demonstrations in the street!"

"Oh," mumbled Maya, kicking unhappily at the base of the bed.

_I don't think the people of Kurain are exactly the 'demonstration' type_, she thought. _They're probably all just gathered around Arabella's TV, watching the news programs all day and gossiping about me. That…seems more like them, I guess._

"Maybe they're holding candlelight vigils," suggested Pearl, getting a little too excited. "They're forming circles in front of the mansion and chanting things like 'sanctuary for our girls,' like they do on the news."

Maya shook her head. "Candlelight vigils are for dead people, Pearly. I'm not dead."

"O-oh." Pearl flushed. "Of course, Mystic Maya, you're right. Um…sorry, I got a little carried away."

Maya spent a few moments trying to imagine what a Kurain candlelight vigil would look like.

_Mia would want to be there, _she thought, a bit morbidly. _I mean, if I died, then Mia would definitely show up, but who would channel her? Pearly, maybe? But, then, Pearl couldn't be there. Maybe one of the younger mystics would have to try. _

"Pearl," she said, "you haven't been able to train in days. You should really go back to the village. I'll be fine here, by myself, really."

"No way!" Pearl shook her head. "I'm not leaving you! You'd be so scared if I left you all alone!"

_But I'm not scared, _thought Maya. _Just kind of bored. _

"Besides," added Pearl, "I've been training, sort of. Just this morning, I got up really early and stood in the freezing cold shower for a whole hour until my skin started turning blue! Oh, and then right after that I ordered room service and poured hot sauce all over my hands, and then I let it burn.

Maya glanced down at the bandages around Pearl's hands. "Oh," she said, perking up a little. "that's…actually pretty impressive, Pearly. Good for you!"

Pearl beamed.

"Room service, huh?" Maya frowned thoughtfully. "Yeah, that sounds really good right now. Are you hungry? I'm starving."

"Um," murmured Pearl self-consciously. "I…I'm a little hungry. We didn't have breakfast this morning, so…"

"Okay." Jumping off the bed, Maya stretched, and then headed for the door. "I'll go get us some food, then. Oh, let me see if Detective Gumshoe wants any. I bet he's hungry, too."

She left Pearl watching TV, and went across the hallway to knock on the door of Gumshoe's mini hotel room.

"Yeah," he called. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Maya," said Maya. "Um, I was just wondering if-!"

Before she'd had a chance to finish the sentence, Gumshoe's door flew open and he stood there panting, shirtless with wide eyes.

"What's up," he gasped. "You okay, pal? Something going on? Did you see him?"

Maya blinked. "I…um, did I see who?"

"Bleek," snarled Gumshoe. Maya had never heard him put so much hissing hatred into a person's name before. She'd never really heard Gumshoe get angry or aggressive about much of anything before, but every time he talked about Bleek, his eyes narrowed and he reached for his belt holster, which he apparently even kept looped around his pajama pants at night.

"N-no," she said quickly, shaking her head. "No, I didn't see anybody. Pearly and I are just getting hungry, so we thought we'd order some room service. Do you want some, too?"

"Oh. Uh. Right." Gumshoe relaxed a little, although he now looked a bit sheepishly disappointed. "Yeah, actually. Guess I wasn't thinking about it, but I am kinda hungry. What are you gonna get?"

Maya shrugged. "I'll bring you the menu. In the meantime, you can put some clothes on."

"Huh?" Gumshoe blinked, then glanced down at his bare chest, and turned an alarming shade of pink. "Y-yikes! Sorry, pal. I, uh…when I thought you might be in trouble, I just, uh…"

"It's okay," insisted Maya, when it looked like Gumshoe was at a loss. "I'll be back in a bit."'

She turned away and listened to the sound of him hastily closing the door behind her.

She was sure she'd left the menu on the desk in the main, adjoining room, but when she searched for it there, she couldn't find it.

_Man, _she thought. _Now I'm really hungry. I wonder if maybe any of the hotel staff are hanging out in the hallway? They do that sometimes when they're waiting to clean one of the rooms. I'll go check. I bet one of the staff could tell me what number I have to call to get room service. _

Opening the door, she stepped out into the hallway but didn't see any of the cleaning staff doing their rounds. Strangely enough, none of the hallway lights were on, either, and although things weren't exactly pitch black, they were weirdly dark and sort of grim. It gave Maya the shivers.

_I was right when I told Nick that this was a creepy hotel, _she thought. _Even under new management, there's still something super weird about it. I'm never staying here again. I mean…you know, not without a really good reason, like maybe a Steel Samurai convention, or because a murderer's supposedly out to get me, or something like that._

Maybe because it was so unusually dark, Maya was able to make out the faint red glow coming from somewhere several feet down the hallway. She left the room and started towards it, soon finding herself face to face with the seated form of Diego Armando. He had his back against the door of room 549, and he was reading a newspaper.

"Hi," said Maya. "Are you stalking me?"

Armando looked up from the paper, hesitated, and then gave her one of his slow smiles.

"Hah," he muttered. "Sure, something like that."

"Oh, okay." Maya nodded. "Well, um, in that case, do you want some lunch? Pearl, Detective Gumshoe and I were going to get some room service, but I can't find the menu or remember what the phone number is for the room service, so I-!"

"I'll call for you," interrupted Armando. "You're not supposed to be using the phone, anyway."

Maya made a face. "It's just room service. I mean, unless you can think of any way that somebody an kill me with a double cheeseburger, then-!"

"I can think of at least four ways to kill someone with a double cheeseburger, Kitten," muttered Armando.

"Uh." Maya blinked. "That's…that's really weird, Mr. Armando. That's definitely not a normal thing that people are supposed to be able to think of."

Armando shrugged. "I used to be a defense attorney, remember? After that, I was a prosecutor, for a little bit, and once upon a time, I was a poison victim. My life hasn't been exactly what you'd call 'normal.' I've had…some pretty unusual and unsavory experiences, and most of them have had something to do with learning how people kill other people."

_Good point, _thought. _That's…well, that's really kind of sad._

"Go back to your room," ordered Armando, gesturing at the door to her hotel suite. "I'll go down and get your room service for you. You're not supposed to come out alone, and if you don't behave yourself and follow orders I'm gonna tell that Detective Gumshoe of yours that you can't be trusted."

"This is crazy," mumbled Maya. "I'm sooooooo bored. Seriously, I think I am more bored right now than I have ever been before in my entire life. All I do all day is sit on the bed and stare at the ceiling or watch really, really, really bad TV reruns over and over again."

"You love bad TV," Armando told her.

"I've told you a hundred times, Mr. Armando," retorted Maya, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him, "The Steel Samurai is not bad TV! By this point it's almost a cult classic! What's wrong with you?"

Armando just shook his head and frowned pointedly at the door to Maya's room.

"Ugh," groaned Maya. "Come on, Mr. Armando, give me a break…"

"No can do," he returned. "I didn't come here to play nice. There's a killer on the loose, remember?"

"This is stupid," mumbled Maya. "Everyone is being stupid about this."

Armando wagged a finger at her. "Don't test me this morning," he warned. "I haven't had my coffee in more than twenty four hours. I'm feeling dangerous, and it's going to be a very, very long day."

He sighed, and Maya noticed for the first time that the visible part of his face beneath the mask looked even tenser and more drawn than usual.

"Why," she asked, "don't you just go down and get some coffee at the hotel café?"

Armando shook his head. "I'm not a paying guest," he reminded her. "I'm likely to get thrown out if I make too much of myself. Besides, I'm supposed to be keeping a low profile. Bleek probably knows that you're here with Gumshoe, but we're hoping he doesn't know about me…yet."

"Oh." Maya hadn't thought of that. "Um…thanks, I think?"

_He's going without coffee because of me? _She frowned. _That's…that's kind of a big deal, for him. Or, no_, _wait, is he really doing it for me, or is he doing it for Mia? Maybe I shouldn't ask. Yeah…maybe I really don't want to know._

She sighed.

"What's wrong, Tiger Kitten?" Unexpectedly, Armando reached over and lifted Maya's chin with two fingers. "Not getting scared after all, are you?"

"No," she said, as a delightful and slightly disturbing little thrill ran down her spine. "It's not that. I'm not scared."

"Good." Armando nodded. "Because there's nothing to be scared of. I told you once, and I'll tell you again that I'm not going to let anybody take my little shot of sunshine away, remember? I'm not letting anybody hurt you. Don't let yourself get stressed out."

He gave her one of his rare, sincere half-smiles, and Maya suddenly felt a heck of a lot better.

_Maybe being stuck in this hotel isn't so bad after all, _she thought. _Maybe I_ _wouldn't mind if I had to be here for just a few more days. _

"I'll go get us some food," said Armando, putting the newspaper down and getting to his feet. "You go back to the room and wait for me. Hopefully service around here isn't too slow."

Maya nodded and stood up, and Armando followed suit.

"Hey, Mr. Armando," she asked, as he started towards the stairwell, "do you know how to play Scrabble? They have it in the hotel room, but Pearl's no good at it, so I don't like asking her to play. She gets embarrassed."

Armando frowned. "Uh, can't say I've played Scrabble in a long time. I've never been much for board games."

_I probably could have guessed that, _thought Maya, frowning.

"Well," she asked, "how about chess? I could totally imagine you being really good at chess. Oh, or poker. I mean, nobody's as good at poker as Nick is, but I can't even see your face through that mask, so you'd probably be hard to read."

For a moment, Armando seemed to consider that.

"I might be willing to play a round of poker," he said slowly. "Do you even know how to play?"

"Of course!" Maya nodded eagerly."Like I said, Nick's great at it! I learned from the best. I bet I'll be better at it than you think!"

Armando laughed.

"Okay," he said. "Why not? This could be interesting."

_Actually, _thought Maya, _I'm pretty much the worst poker player in the whole world. Even Pearly is better than me, but…playing poker would be better than doing nothing at all! _

"Great," she said, clapping her hands together. "Then, as soon as you get back, we can-!"

She stopped, because her cell phone had suddenly started ringing in her pocket. She pulled it out and checked the caller ID.

Armando's face darkened. "Don't answer that," he said.

Maya shrugged. "But, its Mr. Edgeworth," she said. "I mean…I can talk to Mr. Edgeworth, right? He's one of the good guys."

Before Armando had a chance to intervene, Maya answered the call.

"Hello,' she said, "Mr. Edgeworth? What's up?"

For some reason, there was a lot of noise on the other end of the line, as though Edgeworth was surrounded by people in a very crowded place.

"Maya," he said. "Good morning. I trust that everything is well on your end?"

"Yep," agreed Maya. "It's as lame and uninteresting here as ever! Nothing to report."

"Good," replied Edgeworth. "Phoenix will be glad to hear that, I'm sure. I…don't suppose you've seen or heard from him today?"

Maya frowned. Something in Edgeworth's voice was sort of…off, somehow. "No," she said, "Nick hasn't called. I mean…he's probably at the courthouse right now, right? Larry's wife is getting tried today, so he's busy."

For a moment, Edgeworth didn't say anything. "Ah, well," he said eventually, "unfortunately, Phoenix did not, in fact, arrive at the courthouse this morning. He is…missing, as far as anyone can determine. No doubt he failed to remember that he was expected at this morning's trial, in light of recent, distracting events."

"Wha…WHAT?" Maya blinked. "Nick's not there? You're saying he missed the trial?"

"Not precisely," returned Edgeworth. "We are presently in a twenty minute recess."

_Recent distracting events? _Maya chewed on her lip. _What could be so bad that it'd make Nick forget about Larry's trial? He'd NEVER do a thing like that. I mean, I know we're in the middle of a murder case, but I thought he had everything under control! What the heck is going on here?_

"Mr. Edgeworth, something weird is happening, isn't it?" Maya frowned. "Where's Nick? What's going on?"

Edgeworth sighed. "It…is hardly a conversation to be held over the phone. I promise to fill you in on all relevant details as soon as the trial ends. For the moment, please remain where you are. Do not leave the hotel under any circumstances, and please be as cautious and circumspect as possible. I'll be in touch as soon as I'm able, of course."

"Uh," muttered Maya, "wait a second, I-!"

"We'll speak soon. Good morning," said Edgeworth, and then before Maya had a chance to protest, the line went dead.

_Nick? _She sighed. _Where could you possibly be? What's going to happen to Larry? Wait, did Mr. Edgeworth say he was at the trial? _

"Hey," demanded Armando, "what's up? What's the Chief Prosecutor got to say for himself?"

"Um," mumbled Maya, "well, as far as I can tell, it's sorta like this…"

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

I had fun writing this one. I'm getting more and more attached to Maya and Armando as I go along, although I really want to write a scene just between Maya and Gumshoe. I think we need to see a little more of what's going on with Gumshoe.

I'll go ahead and pose a second discussion question, although, again, please know that these are just for fun. Never, ever feel obligated to answer. I'll only have fun if you do.

**We know what kind of TV shows Maya likes. What kind of television do we think Phoenix and Edgeworth watch? Feel free to suggest modern popular TV shows, or to make up a show of your own that you think would appeal to them. **


	59. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Eighteen

**Author's Note: **I have an incredibly long, grueling and unpleasant day. Perhaps some writing will make my evening just a little bit better.

We're getting very close to the end of this story. If only I had more time to write…

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen: Blood Bank – Part Three**

**October 3, 2029**

**8:00 PM**

**The Borscht Bowl Club**

The Borscht Bowl club was never a particularly noisy or genial place. The patrons preferred it quiet. People sat at tables, alone or in pairs, drinking soup or playing cards, never making direct eye contact with other club denizens. The little lighting that there was barely illuminated anything, leaving faces in a kind of eerily menacing shadow that discouraged anyone from looking too closely.

Everyone kept pretty much to themselves, yet glanced continuously over their shoulders to make sure that nobody else was getting too close or familiar. Everyone was aware of the movements of every other club guest, and no one could have even twitched without arousing suspicion from all sides.

Here, for the first time since he'd arrived at the crime scene that early morning, Phoenix was finally starting to relax.

He was sitting alone at a corner table back behind the piano, listening to the current club pianist plunking out some horribly dissonant excuse for a tune.

_He'd better be an amazing poker player, _thought Phoenix, _because he's the worst pianist I've ever heard. Compared to him, I'm a musical prodigy. What is he even playing? You couldn't really call that a melody. _

With just a hint of professional pride, he spent a long moment watching the pianist's fingers stumble clumsily over the clunky old keyboard, before rolling his eyes and returning his attention to his half-empty bottle of vintage white grape juice.

_Maybe I'll ask him to play a_ _game of cards, _thought Phoenix. _We'll see if he's as bad at reading people as he is at reading music. _

Smirking to himself, he started to get up from the chair, but froze as he heard the sound of someone pulling a chair out from the table, just behind him.

"So, she was right. Here you are after all,," drawled a jarringly familiar male voice. "This is my kind of place. As dark and murky as the depths of hell. Never thought I'd find someone like you in a place like this, though."

Very slowly, Phoenix turned around and came face to face with a specter; a white-haired man wearing a glowing red mask and a bitter smile.

"Trite," said Prosecutor Godot, nodding curtly. "Surprised to see me? Here I am, the Ghost of Turnabouts Past. Hah." He snorted a mirthless little laugh, and an unpleasant little chill shot down Phoenix's spine.

"G-Godot," managed Phoenix, staring. "What…I mean, wait, how did you-?"

"That's not my name anymore," interrupted Godot. "I'm Diego Armando, now, I guess."

"Uh," said Phoenix, "you…you guess?"

Godot frowned uncertainly. "Yeah, well," he mumbled, "that's what our Little Tiger Kitten calls me, anyway. Maybe she's the only one who'd really know who I'm supposed to be."

It took Phoenix a moment to figure out who Godot was talking about.

"Oh," he realized eventually. "You mean Maya."

"Right," agreed Godot. "Our only living mutual friend. She's worried about you. All you ever seem to give her is more grief."

"Yeah," muttered Phoenix, thinking of Maya, cooped up in the hotel suite with Pearl, probably scared out of her mind, trying not to panic while she waited for the murderer's fateful knock at the door. "Yeah," he repeated, "I…I can't argue with that."

Godot scowled." Really? That's all you've got?"

"What?" Phoenix blinked. "What else do you want me to say? You're right. This is entirely my fault. If it weren't for me, Maya wouldn't be in this mess, and neither would anybody else. I screwed up. Is that what you wanted me to say? Well, I'll say it. I'll say it as many times as you want, but there's nothing else I can do. I don't know what else I'm supposed to try. I…I can't take that Not Guilty verdict back. I can't make all of this go away. I…I'm sorry."

Taking a long swig right from the juice bottle, he buried his face in his hands, closing his eyes against the accusatory red glare coming from Godot's visor.

It was a long moment before either of them spoke again.

"Hah," snorted Godot finally, derision and maybe disappointment dripping from every word. "You're pathetic, Trite."

"Don't call me that," muttered Phoenix. "It's 'Wright,' remember? I thought we were over all of that 'Trite' stuff."

Godot shrugged. "I thought you were over being a whiny, selfish coward who spends all of his time hiding behind beautiful women and waiting for them to bail him out of a crisis. Guess we were both wrong."

Phoenix winced.

"I'm not expecting Maya or anyone else to solve this for me," he began.

"Yeah?" Godot sat back in his chair and crossed both arms over his chest. "Is that so? Then what exactly is your plan? Are you just gonna hide out here until it's all over, feeling sorry for yourself until this guy Bleek finishes his killing spree? Not much of a plan, if you ask me."

_It's not that simple, _thought Phoenix, shaking his head. _I've already told you, there's nothing more that I can do. Every time I get close to someone, I only make it worse. I can't solve this on m_y _own. I'm powerless. No…I'm worse than powerless. I'm like a black cat, or some bad luck. Wherever I go, I leave a disaster behind me. _

"It's no use," he repeated. "I can't do anything."

"You've already done plenty," retorted Godot. "You say this whole mess is your fault, right?"

Phoenix sighed.

"Well?" Godot leaned forward, staring intently into Phoenix's face. "Well, Trite? Are you a man, or aren't you? A real man cleans up his own mess. You made this bed, so now it's time to wake up and smell the coffee."

It took Phoenix a moment to parse through the various mixed metaphors in that sentence. _Why does he always talk like that, _he wondered, _and how does he always manage to make that nonsensical stuff sound so profound? _

"If this Bleek guy is really after you, for whatever reason," continued Godot, "then maybe you're the only one who can stop him. Or, hey, maybe not, but you're sure as hot and holy hell not going to save the day by sitting around here drinking your cares away."

"It's…just grape juice," Phoenix felt obligated to point out. "I'm not drinking, exactly."

Godot completely ignored him. Pushing his chair back, he got slowly to his feet, shook his head disdainfully at Phoenix, and then turned away.

"Hey," called Phoenix, "Look, you don't understand. It's not that I don't care. I'm trying to turn a blind eye, but if I get too close, I'll only make it worse."

"Never stopped you before," muttered Godot.

Phoenix frowned "What's that supposed to mean?"

"This isn't the first time that you've been in over your head," replied Godot, shrugging. "You're a messy, meddlesome man. You know, you've got a reputation for getting in too deep and never knowing when to quit. It's one of the few things I've always liked about you."

Phoenix wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that. He wasn't actually certain if it had been a sort of backhanded compliment, or just a typically convoluted insult.

"Well, not this time," Phoenix said finally. "This time…the stakes are higher, I guess."

"Hah," muttered Godot. "All the more reason to go all-in."

"I can't risk losing," countered Phoenix.

"In that case," returned Godot, "don't you dare let the other guy win. Show me that there's some good reason why incredibly wonderful women keep placing all their bets on you. Now's your chance to be the hero both my Kittens seem to think you've always been."

Phoenix shook his head. "I'm no hero. It's just like I said; there's nothing I can do."

He was expecting Godot to spit some cynical retort back at him, but instead, Godot remained eerily silent.

"From what I've seen from you so far, Trite, you're the man who can do anything," he said unexpectedly after a long, quiet minute. "You even managed to bring this bitter old man back from the depths of the dead. Probably nobody else could have done that. Maybe nobody else would have tried."

Perversely, he smiled.

"So," he said, pointing a finger at Phoenix' chest, "come on, Wright. Show me what you've got."

Phoenix hesitated, and, without waiting for a response, Godot turned and disappeared into the recesses of the club.

For a long moment after Godot had gone, Phoenix sat alone at his table, drank his grape juice, and thought hard to himself about a good many things, uncertain exactly what it was he was feeling.

_Today sure has been full of unpleasant little surprises, _he thought. _There's a face I was pretty sure I'd never have to see again. _

Somehow, the smell of coffee managed to linger in the air, in Godot's wake.

_Wake up and smell the coffee, huh? _Phoenix chewed contemplatively on his lip. _Yeah, well...easy for you to say. I mean, you said it, not me, but you're already a dead man. Some of us still have plenty to lose…_

**A short time later, at the Wright Family Apartment…**

At around ten o'clock, Phoenix finally unlocked the door to his apartment. When he stepped in, he found Edgeworth and Trucy seated on the sofa side by side, both focusing intensely on Trucy's math textbook.

"Um, hi everyone," he mumbled awkwardly. "I'm, uh, home."

Trucy looked up, grinned with radiant relief, and jumped to her feet.

"Daddy! You're back!" Rushing over, she threw her arms around him and gave him a huge hug, which Phoenix gratefully returned. "We were so worried! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, now," he said, giving Trucy a quick little kiss on the forehead. "How's the math going?"

Trucy made a face. "It's, um…going," she admitted, frowning. "Mr. Edgeworth's been helping me 'learn how to learn,' he says. Um…it's really nice of him, I guess."

Phoenix looked over at Edgeworth. Edgeworth had retained his seat, but was now watching Phoenix with a drawn, unreadable look on his face. As Phoenix watched, that tell-tale muscle in Edgeworth's cheek began to twitch spasmodically.

"Um…I'm going to the bathroom," announced Trucy, glancing quickly from her father to Edgeworth. "I'll be right back…sort of."

Before anyone had a chance to argue, she rushed off into her own bedroom, leaving Phoenix and Edgeworth alone.

"Uh," mumbled Phoenix. "Look, Miles, I-!"

"Welcome home, Phoenix," murmured Edgeworth, inclining his head slightly. "I trust you're feeling better?"

Phoenix opened his mouth to reply, stopped, rethought what he was going to say and then shut his mouth again.

"Yeah," he said eventually. "I'm…I mean, I guess I am."

Edgeworth nodded. "That's good. I'm very glad to hear it."

"R-right," agreed Phoenix. "I mean…thanks."

An awkward moment passed between them, and Edgeworth coughed uncomfortably, leafing idly through a few pages of Trucy's textbook.

"Hey, Miles," began Phoenix, taking a deep breath, "um, I stopped by the office on my way home. Athena and Apollo were still there. They, uh…they told me what happened today in court."

Edgeworth nodded. "You should be proud of your understudy. She conducted herself admirably. We won, primarily thanks to Ms. Cykes' ingenuity in regards to psychological manipulation. Her decision to commence what she referred to as a 'therapy session' mid-trial allowed us to pull off quite an impressive coup."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _I've seen that a few times. She's a pretty impressive kid._

"You would have been pleased," finished Edgeworth.

Phoenix rubbed awkwardly at the back of his neck. "Well, yeah, I always am, but…the way Athena tells it, they'd probably have lost the case if it hadn't been for you. Apparently you're pretty good on either side of an argument."

Edgeworth shrugged noncommittally. "I may have made a few inconsequential contributions. The majority of the argument belonged to Ms. Cykes, but I did my best not to disappoint her as a second."

"You never disappoint me," said Phoenix. "This time, though…I really let you down, huh?"

For a moment, Edgeworth said nothing.

"You owe apologies to your subordinate and to your client," he said eventually, "not to me."

_Larry, _thought Phoenix. _Yeah, I sure screwed him over. Some childhood friend I am._

"I bet you're all pretty angry at me," he said, sighing. "Can't say I'd blame you."

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "I am…pleased that you've come home," he said, dropping his gaze away from Phoenix's face. "You had us rather worried. There is, as I'm sure you recall better than most, a murderer at large in our city."

Despite himself, Phoenix started to smile.

"Thanks for worrying about me," he said, "and for looking after Trucy. I mean…thanks for everything, Miles. I owe you."

"You owe me nothing," retorted Edgeworth quietly. "Surely you know by now that there is very little I would not do for you."

_I guess you've made that pretty clear, _thought Phoenix, a little overwhelmed. He stepped forward and put a hand on Edgeworth's shoulder, and when Edgeworth reached up to clasp it in his own, his fingers were trembling very slightly.

"You must promise me," Edgeworth said somewhat unsteadily, "that you will always come home again. Assure me of that, and I will demand little else."

Phoenix nodded. "I'm back now," he promised. "I'm not going anywhere, this time."

He bent down to kiss Edgeworth, and when Edgeworth leaned in to return the kiss, Phoenix spent a moment savoring the comforting contact before breaking away.

"I need another favor," he said finally, straightening up again. "I'm sorry, but…it's important."

Edgeworth just waited expectantly.

"I need you to call Maya," Phoenix explained. "I still have no idea where my phone is, but I need to talk to her, and to Gumshoe, too. Actually, I think there's probably someone else staying with them at the moment, and we could use his help, as well."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "I thought you had decided to abjure the contact of other human beings," he said.

Phoenix sighed. "Not an option," he said. "It's time to end this, Miles, and I can't do that by myself. I'm afraid that I'm gonna need all the help that I can get if we're gonna put this thing to rest for good."

Edgeworth frowned, but slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"Very well then," he agreed."In that case, I will call."

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **

And that, finally, is the end of that little episode.

You know what? After writing that, I actually do feel a little better! What do you know? Writing is good for the soul.

Here's today's discussion question:

**Other than Godot, of course, which Ace Attorney villain would you like to see Phoenix face/combat for a second time? The character can be either living or dead. After all, this is a world in which we can channel the spirits of dead people, so anything goes. **

**Oh, and yes, you can use Apollo Justice villains, too, if you like. **


	60. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Nineteen

**Author's Note:** Home stretch! This is the beginning of the thrilling conclusions! Dun dun DUN!

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: Lovers in a Dangerous Time – Part One**

**October 4, 2029**

**7:00 PM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

The next evening, several familiar faces were clustered on and around the small couch in Phoenix's living room.

Phoenix had borrowed the piano bench from the bedroom, and his blue "Bleek" binder was lying open on top of it in the middle of the living room. Edgeworth and Maya were seated on the sofa, while Pearl and Trucy curled up cross-legged on the carpet in front of the turned-off TV set.

Former prosecutor Diego Armando lounged stiffly and uncomfortably against the living room wall, separating himself from the rest of the group and keeping a deceptively casual eye on the door. Seated on a folding chair nearby, Gumshoe kept glancing awkwardly over at Armando, apparently uncertain how to feel about the former inmate's presence at the party.

_The gang's all here_, thought Phoenix, gazing around at his assembled friends. _Well, not exactly 'all' here. Apollo and Athena are probably still at the office. It was a long day, and Apollo's practice is really picking up. He's got new clients almost every week, now. Maybe I should have stayed to help him with some of the nitty-gritty stuff, but…_

"Nick," announced Maya plaintively, "I'm hungry."

"Oh, right." Phoenix frowned. "Well, uh, I can order a pizza, if you want. What kind should I get?"

"No anchovies," declared Trucy, wrinkling her nose.

"I, uh, never cared much for mushrooms," added Gumshoe. "But, hey, pal, this is your place, so get whatever you want."

_Maybe I'm better off playing it safe, and just getting cheese and pepperoni, _thought Phoenix. _You can never go wrong with jus_t the_ basics. How many pizzas should I get for six people?Will three be enough?_

"Hah," muttered Armando. "Maybe you all already forgot what we're here for. This isn't a party. We're not here for the snacks and beer. Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

Trucy frowned at Armando. "But," she insisted, "We're hungry. There's nothing wrong with eating while we talk, right?"

Maya grinned and gave Armando a little pat on the shoulder. Much to Phoenix's amazement, Armando flushed pink under his visor.

"Mr. Armando gets a little cranky when he runs out of caffeine," she informed them all. "Nick, can you make some coffee, too?"

"Uh," mumbled Phoenix, distracted by the blush, "y-yeah, no problem. Um…actually, I think I have just the thing. Do you still drink the stuff you used to call 'Godot Blend 107?'"

Armando's eyes widened in surprise.

"Told you," said Maya triumphantly to Armando, planting both hands on her hips.

Armando cleared his throat.

"Are we going to do this," he asked, "or not?"

"Indeed," murmured Edgeworth. "It's getting late. Phoenix, did you have something particular in mind for this evening?"

"Wait, you don't know, Mr. Edgeworth?" Gumshoe frowned. "Uh, if you don't mind me asking, pal…what are we doing here, anyway?"

"That's rude, Detective," remarked Maya without a hint of malice. "Nick was just offering to get us some pizza! Anyway, I bet he wants to talk about the murders, right? That's right, isn't' it, Nick?"

Everyone was now intently watching Phoenix. He swallowed, cleared his throat, and then took a seat on the carpet next to Trucy, passing an arm around her shoulders and giving her a little squeeze. Trucy giggled, and Pearl smiled at him.

"Yeah," he said, "I want to talk about the murders, obviously, but…there's a little more to it than that."

"Yup." Maya nodded. "I thought so."

"We've been over and over the three cases," Phoenix went on. "Miles, Detective Gumshoe and the rest of the police department have been tirelessly looking into every aspect of each murder. There's almost nothing they don't know about Bleek, the victims, or the crime scenes."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "Almost nothing? What exactly do you mean?"

_Of course, _thought Phoenix. _Miles would be the one to pick up on that. _

"Is there something," continued Edgeworth with just a touch of injured pride in his voice, "that you feel we've overlooked?"

Phoenix nodded."Well, sort of. It's not the kind of thing that most people would think of, but I had a conversation with someone last night that made me realize something important."

Armando snorted a derisive little noise, and Phoenix ignored him.

"There are three witnesses to the murders that we haven't heard from, yet," he explained. "As far as I know, no one's even called any of them in for questioning."

Armando muttered something sharp and incoherent under his breath.

"Oh," said Pearl, looking surprised.

Maya, however, just nodded and smiled. "Yeah," she said. "Yeah, I think so, too."

"Three channelings is a lot to do all at once," Phoenix reminded Maya. "You don't have to do all three of them today if you don't want to."

"Um, I think I can handle it," replied Maya.

Pearl raised her hand. "You don't have to do it all by yourself, Mystic Maya! I'll help, too! I can do one!"

Maya grinned at Pearl. "Thanks, Pearly. You're the best!"

_You're both pretty amazing, _thought Phoenix. _There really is something about the Fey women._

"Okay," said Phoenix. "Then, in that case…"

Edgeworth coughed suddenly, distracting Phoenix's attention.

"Detective Gumshoe," he said quietly. "Please, don't feel obligated to remain. I fear that you may find the following exercise exceedingly painful."

_Huh? _Phoenix shot a look at Gumshoe, who had gone extremely pale, and was now fiddling nervously with the sleeves of his dirty, oversized overcoat. _Oh, yeah. Yeah, I hadn't even thought of that. Of course, if we're channeling Maggey, then…this might be a little much for our god old old Detective. Poor guy. I bet he won't want to sit through this._

"Nobody's going to judge you if you leave, Detective," muttered Armando.

Gumshoe swallowed, and then shakily shook his head.

"N-nah," he mumbled. "I…I mean, I'm fine. I'm okay, pal. I…kinda want to see her, actually."

Pearl got up from the carpet and crossed over to stand next to Gumshoe. She didn't say anything, but nevertheless the lines of Gumshoe's faced relaxed just a little bit as she stood by in silent solidarity.

"Not a good idea," remarked Armando. "Still, it's your funeral."

"Nah," said Gumshoe, giving Armando an unexpectedly direct and serious look. "Wasn't my funeral, this time. Can't tell you how many times I've lain alone in bed at night and wished it had been, pal, but ain't nothing I can do about it, now. Nothing except this, anyway."

Armando looked startled, and then nodded slowly. Gumshoe ad Armando shared a long, significant and unreadable moment, and then Maya yawned, stretched, and jumped to her feet.

"I'm really hungry," she repeated. "Let's go ahead and get this over with, okay? I'm super excited about that pizza! Don't you let me down, Nick!"

Without waiting for a response, she closed her eyes, folded her hands in front of her chest, and took a long, deep, slow breath.

Phoenix frowned. _Who's she putting on the show for? I know that she doesn't have to go through all of that before she channels a spirit. These days, she can channel almost without thinking about it._

He caught sight of Armando out of the corner of his eye, and noticed that Armando was now watching Maya with rapt, almost mesmerized attention.

_Oh, _thought Phoenix, finally beginning to catch on and not at all sure how he felt about the dawning realization. _So…that's why. How long has this been going on, exactly, and how come I never picked up on it before? She's normally not that good at keeping secrets…and anyway, I didn't think she had any secrets from me._

Inexplicably just a little bit sad, he continued to watch as Pearl slowly got to her feet, closed her eyes, and then, with slightly less ceremony but just as much solemnity began her own channeling process. After a seemingly long and definitely intense moment, Pearl's face and figure warped and changed into the taller, more angular and severe form and face of Aura Blackquill. There was, of course, something slightly jarring about the fact that Aura was wearing Pearl's typically sweet little topknot, and a pair of unexpectedly revealing novice's channeling robes..

"Oh, great," drawled Aura, rolling her eyes. "Would you look who we have, here? You know, Mr. Wright, I think you may be the last person in the world that I want anything to do with, right now. Where's that attractive business partner of yours, huh? How come I never get lucky enough to run into him?"

Phoenix opened his mouth to respond, but was distracted by Detective Gumshoe's sudden intake of breath. He turned quickly back to Maya, to find that Maya had finished her channeling, and that she'd effectively transformed into Detective Maggey Gumshoe.

"Oh…hey, Dickie," said Maggey softly, smiling and giving Detective Gumshoe a little wave. "Did you miss me?"

For a moment, Gumshoe didn't seem to be able to speak.

I, uh…" He stopped, swallowed, and then big tears began pooling in his eyes. "Y-yeah, Mags….yeah, I miss you a lot."

He sniffled loudly, and Maggey took a step forward, arms outstretched.

"I guess that makes me a pretty lucky girl" she said, beaming at him. Gumshoe started to reach for her, and Phoenix couldn't bring himself to move. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Armando frozen in place, watching Gumshoe and Maggey with his mouth drawn down into a thin, pained line.

It was Edgeworth who finally broke the uncomfortable tableau.

"Ahem," he began. clearing his throat, "Detective Gumshoe."

Both Gumshoe and Maggey stopped and turned to look at him.

"Ah," clarified Edgeworth, "I was unclear. I am addressing Detective Maggey Gumshoe. Detective, I apologize for embarking on a subject which you will no doubt find to be in poor taste, but we have some d questions for you regarding the circumstances of your…demise. As a matter of fact," he added, inclining his head in Aura's direction, "In the interests of apprehending your murderer, we're anxious to hear testimony from you both."

"Testimony?" Maggey frowned. "We're not in court, are we?"

"No," scowled Aura, "but our case won't ever get to court if somebody doesn't track down a suspect, fast. I'm sure Simon's out there hunting for Bleek right now, while you're all standing around in here, just wasting your time."

Armando snorted a laugh, but Edgeworth apparently completely ignored the remark.

"I certainly hope that we're doing more than 'wasting our time,' Miss Blackquill," he said patiently. "You and Detective Gumshoe may well have valuable information that will assist both myself and your brother in our investigations."

Aura looked doubtful. "Information, huh? Somehow, i don't think so. What kind of 'information' do you expect me to have? You already know how I died, unless you're really, remarkably bad at this."

Maggey raised her hand. "Sir! I'd be proud and happy to give you any information that I have, sir!"

Edgeworth nodded. "Good. In that case...Phoenix?"

He turned and looked at Phoenix, who took a deep breath.

"Well, I think it's pretty obvious what I want to know most of all," he said. "Maggey, was it Iago Bleek who killed you?"

Maggey nodded instantly. "Oh yes, sir, without a doubt. Absolutely, sir. I saw his face, clear as day."

The last little hope that had been holding out in Phoenix's heart was finally dashed. He flinched, but did his best not to show how much he'd been hoping for a different answer.

_Come on, Phoenix, _he thought. _Keep it together. We all knew that she was going to say that. I mean...it couldn't have been anyone else, right? His blood was at all three scenes. You can't fake a clue like that. It had to have been him, and we've all known that all along. _

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "Detective Gumshoe," he began, "if I may ask, what exactly were you doing in the park on the night of your death? How was it that Mr. Bleek located you?"

Maggey shrugged. "I don't know, sir. I mean...I went to the park to follow up some leads. If you'll remember, sir, People Park is just across from the grocery store where poor Mrs. Dobler used to work, and since Mr. Wright had proved that Bleek wasn't the killer, I figured it was time to start my investigation all over again. Somebody killed her, sir, and that man or woman is still out there!"

Phoenix blinked. _Oh...r-right. Honestly, I'd sort of forgotten about that._

"Then," asked Maya, "you don't think Mr. Bleek killed Mrs. Dobler after all?"

Maggey shook her head emphatically. "Of course not! Mr. Wright proved that Mr. Bleek was innocent. I was there, I saw it! It was a great trial!"

Maggey turned and smiled at Phoenix. Phoenix opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again, greatly moved and not sure what exactly he wanted to say.

_Maggey, _he thought, _Iago Bleek murdered you in cold blood, and you're still willing to believe that he was innocent of the Dobler murder just because we proved it in court? That's some real faith in the justice system, there. Wow.__  
_

"I trust you, Mr. Wright," added Maggey, almost as though she'd been following Phoenix's thoughts. "If you say so, sir, then I know he didn't do it, so I had to figure out who did!"

Phoenix just shook his head. _Maggey...thanks._

"Huh," muttered Armando. "So, you're saying that Bleek went after you because you were hanging around the crime scene? Looks like he was hiding something after all. Maybe he hunted you down because there was some dirt he didn't want you to dig up."

Trucy turned and glared at Armando, planting both hands on her hips. "Hey," she reminded him, "Maggey just said that Bleek didn't kill that Dobler lady, right? So, what else could he have been trying to hide?"

"I'm not necessarily agreeing with the good deceased Detective," retorted Armando, shrugging. "Maybe Bleek didn't kill Dobler, and maybe he did. Killing the Detective who was working on his case doesn't make him look too innocent, if you ask me."

"Right?" Aura grinned. "That's what I've been saying all along! Thank god, at least somebody around here has a few firing brain cells. Who are you, again"

Armando gave her a long, appraising look, then snorted contemptuously and turned away. "Hah. Don't try to drag me over to your camp. I just call 'em like I see 'em. Women like you are nothing but trouble. You've got too much bitterness in you. I can see it all over your sneering face."

Aura's smile faded, and she scowled at him.

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "Miss Blackquill," he said, "perhaps you'd like a turn to speak up for yourself? What exactly makes you so certain that Iago Bleek was the murderer of Darcy Dobler? I take it that you, too, would identify Bleek as your own killer?"

"Obviously," returned Aura, shrugging. "I saw him, too. but that's not all.I know what a sneaky, conniving son of a bitch he can be." Unexpectedly, she turned and smiled mirthlessly at Phoenix. "You're gonna love this one, Mr. 'Always Right.'"

Phoenix swallowed. "What...what's that supposed to mean?"

Aura looked over at Maggey, who just looked hurt and disappointed, then averted her eyes.

"Don't you worry about what that woman says, sir," announced Maggey. "Ms. Blackquill's a troublemaker. None of it means anything, I'm sure."

_Huh? _Phoenix frowned. _What doesn't mean anything? What exactly are we talking about?_

"Do you want to know what I was doing at the Gatewater, the night that Bleek killed me?" Aura sat down on the floor across from Phoenix, and Trucy scooted protectively closer to her father, glaring at Aura. "I showed up at the hotel that night," continued Aura, "because I got a text message asking me to come and meet someone there."

Edgeworth sucked in a sharp breath, and Armando groaned.

"O-oh," mumbled Phoenix, aware of the terrible change in the atmosphere of the room, but not quite sure what he wasn't getting. "So...then, who sent you the text?"

Aura smiled at him like a cat smiles at a cornered mouse. "You did," she told him. "The text was from Mr. Phoenix Wright himself. You told me to come to the Gatewater that night, because you wanted to talk to me about the Bleek case. You said you'd been thinking a lot about what I said at the party, and like the good Samaritan I am, I showed up."

Phoenix's world lurched horribly and began to spin as his brain rejected everything coming out of Aura's mouth. "No," he said frantically, "that's impossible. I mean...I lost my cell phone at the party, remember? So, there's no way that I could have..."

He trailed off, as the obvious truth occurred to him all at once, as it clearly already had to Edgeworth and Armando.

"No," he whispered. "No, please...tell me he didn't use my phone."

"It's unlikely that he did," interjected Edgeworth, focusing his attention on Aura. "If you had really received such a text from Mr. Wright, then the evidence would have been discovered on your phone by the investigating officer, Detective Ema Skye."

"Oh, yeah? Is that so?" Aura didn't seem even remotely put out. "Actually, there's no way she could have found it. I deleted the text right after I got it. I always do. My inbox is totally empty. I don't like leaving junk lying around. Pretty easy answer, huh? How come none of you thought of that?"

Everyone was now staring at Phoenix, and he knew it. His brain was on fire and he felt like screaming and throwing up at the same time. Edgeworth looked extremely worried, as did Maggey, and Trucy was now tightly squeezing Phoenix's hand.

Only Armando seemed totally unconcerned. As Phoenix watched, Armando turned and gave him an appraising look, then raised an eyebrow as though challenging him not to screw this one up.

Phoenix took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," he told Aura in as level a tone as he could manage. "I didn't know. Obviously, the text didn't come from me. It must have been from Bleek. Thank you for explaining all of this to us, Ms. Blackquill. When we finally do bring Bleek to trial, I'm sure it'll all be very valuable information. Hopefully we can get my cell phone back to use as evidence."

Aura looked disappointed, as though she'd been expecting Phoenix's reaction to yield more fireworks.

"Yeah," she muttered. "Whatever. You're welcome."

Edgeworth's face relaxed very slightly, and Phoenix was almost sure that he saw Armando smile with just the corner of his mouth.

"Okay," said Phoenix, nodding slowly. "Well...I guess there's more denying it, then. Whatever Bleek's game is, it really does have something to do with me. He's making sure to keep me involved as much as he can. I think he wants me to know it, too."

"I agree," murmured Edgeworth. "He seems to be going out of his way to arouse your personal interest and attention."

"The guy's taunting you," agreed Armando. "Don't ask me what exactly's going on here, but somehow I get the sense that everything we've seen so far has just been bait to reel you in. What the hell did you do to make him hate you that much? I thought you got him acquitted."

_I did, _thought Phoenix. _Don't ask me. I don't have a clue as to what's really going on here. Why would Bleek be going after me? What could I possibly have done? I liked him! I thought he was a nice guy. I believed in him from the moment he walked into my office. What possible reason could he have to hate me? _

"It doesn't matter," declared Edgeworth into the tense, ensuing silence. "Wright's involvement is not the issue in question. We must now focus on determining a means to beat Bleek at his own game. We must lure him to us, as he has lured us to him so many times. It's as Ms. Blackquill says; without a suspect, we have no case, no matter how much proof there may be in our favor."

_Lure him to us, huh? _Phoenix frowned thoughtfully to himself. _Well, that can't be too hard. I mean...if he's really after me, for whatever reason, than the answer's obvious. The only person it makes any sense to use as bait is m-!_

A cell phone rang, jarring him out of his reverie. Whoever's phone it was, the ringtone sounded like the Steel Samurai theme.

_Well, we know it's not mine, _thought Phoenix unhappily. _For better or for worse, we know where my phone is. _

"Will someone please silence that cell phone?" Edgeworth looked annoyed. "Who does it belong to?"

Maggey looked startled, then froze and frowned. "Oh."

"Maggey?" For the first time since they'd started the interrogation, Detective Gumshoe spoke up. "What is it? Are you all right?"

Maggey nodded. "I have to go," she said apologetically. "I'm sorry. Um, you can ask me any questions you want later."

Gumshoe took a hasty step forward. "D-don't leave," he stammered. "Mags, I...I don't know what I'm supposed to do next."

Maggey just smiled at him. "Of course you do, silly! You have to catch the bad guy! You're a hero, Dickie. You'll always be my hero. You always have!"

Even as she spoke she was fading away. Gumshoe looked pained, but this time he didn't reach for her.

"Goodbye, Mags," he managed hoarsely. "I love you."

"I love you too," she promised him happily. Turning to Phoenix, she gave him a familiar, very smart salute and added, "Goodbye, sir! Go get him!"

Then, just like that, Maggey was gone, and Maya was again standing in her place, swaying back and forth very slightly, looking tired but retaining the little smile that had been on Maggey's lips when she'd uttered her final words of goodbye.

"Maya," murmured Phoenix, getting to his feet and stepping forward to offer her a steadying hand.

"Mmm," mumbled Maya, shaking her head to try and clear it. She took a deep breath, looked around at her assembled friends, then reached into the pocket of her channeling robe and pulled out her cell phone.

"Oh," she said. "I...have a text message."

She pushed a few buttons, and then her eyes went wide.

"Nick," she said, looking up at him, "It's from you!"

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **

Sorry for the long wait on this chapter, guys. It was a loooooooong weekend. I'm looking forward to having my weekends back. This whole working nonstop thing is really starting to get to me.**  
**

Oh, today's question is a big one! I've been thinking of trying to write a new story, about a less popular or more unconventional pairing.

**Do any of these pairings appeal to you? Would you read a story abo****ut any of these pairings? Feel free to specify more than one, or to say that you dislike them all!**

**Athena/Franziska**

**Klavier/Maya**

**Phoenix/Godot**

**Edgeworth/Ema**

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the subject!

Until next time, then!


	61. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Twenty

**Author's Note: **Hahhaa, wow**, **so it looks like my ideas for new and exciting pairings were a complete and total flop! Almost none of you had any interest in most of them.

Oh well. I thought I'd at least try. Thanks for taking the time to share your opinions with me!

Oh, also, before I forget, I'd like to recommend another author.

Have any of you read the short stories by **Blackgate Transfer? **They are truly, remarkably well done. Please, if you're looking for a treat this evening, go check them out. I'll tell you which one is my favorite after you read them all. Then we can talk about them!

Oh, but now I think it's time for another update. Wait, that means I've actually updated two days in a row! Back on track, hallelujah!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty: Lovers in a Dangerous Time – Part Two**

**October 4, 2029**

**8:00 PM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

For what felt like the longest of moments, no one moved or said a word.

"Well," asked Edgeworth a bit harshly, when it seemed as though no one else was going to speak up, "what does it say?"

Maya frowned down at her phone. "It says, uh…'need help. can u come? at the office. pleez? Nick.'"

"Ah," murmured Edgeworth. "That is obviously not a message from Phoenix."

"Right?" Phoenix nodded. "I mean, I know how to spell the word 'please.'"

Edgeworth gave him a vaguely amused sort of look. "I'm sure you do," he said, "but I was referring to the fact that you never, ever sign your text messages with your name."

"There's no point!" Phoenix sighed. "How many times do I have to explain to you that cell phones have caller ID? You can SEE who sent the text before you even read it! You don't have to sign it!"

"I consider it appropriate and respectful to sign any and all of my correspondence," returned Edgeworth haughtily.

Phoenix glared at him, and opened his mouth to make a rebuttle.

"Hey," interrupted Maya. "What's going on, here? This is supposed to be about me, remember? Stop arguing! Sheesh. Lawyers."

Both Edgeworth and Phoenix turned and gave her affronted looks.

"What," she asked, "do you want me to do about this message? I mean, it's obviously from Bleek, right"

Gumshoe was frowning. "It just doesn't make sense, pal," he mumbled confusedly. "I mean…the guy has to know that we know he has Mr. Wright's cell phone. There's no way he thinks he's pulling one over on us."

"Yeah," agreed Armando. "You're right. This is just another part of that weird game he's playing. He's gotta know that Maya won't go meet him."

"Huh?" Maya shook her head. "Of course I'm going to meet him."

"What the…?" Armando stared. "You can't be serious, Kitten."

"I'm completely serious!" Maya nodded emphatically. "We've all just been talking about how we have to catch our suspect, right? Well, we can't catch him unless we find him, and if he's gonna try to kill me at the office tonight, then he'll have to show up to do it! When he does, we'll know where he is, and we'll get him!"

"That's crazy," muttered Armando. "I don't care how big and strong you think you are. Bleek's already proven that he can take down a police Detective on active duty. Even the ravishing master of the Kurain Channeling School wouldn't stand an icicle's chance in a hot cup of Joe going up against that guy alone."

Maya just nodded. "Uh huh, sure. But, Mr. Armando, I won't be alone. Nick's going with me."

She turned and smiled at Phoenix, who swallowed, and then nodded back at her.

"Right," he said. "Of course I am. We'll finish this together, Maya."

Maya grinned. "Wow, Nick. That almost sounded pretty cool!"

"Almost?" Phoenix frowned. "Come on, I think I did a little better than 'almost.'"

She laughed, and despite the misgivings building slowly into terror in the pit of Phoenix's stomach, he tried to smile back at her.

_I'm going to end this_ _tonight, _he told himself. _I can't let anyone else suffer because of me. If I'm the one that Bleek wants, then I'm the only one who can finish this. Don't worry, Maya; I won't let you down._

Armando just shook his head. "It's no good," he muttered. "I like the enthusiasm, Wright, but something tells me that you're no good in a fight."

Phoenix drew himself up to his full height, and did his best to look a little more substantial and impressive than his rapidly pounding heart told him he was. "Hey," he said, "I'm not that bad. I mean, I did a semester on the college crew team. Arm strength, you know?"

Armando did not look impressed. "Oh yeah? Have you ever killed a man?"

"What?" Phoenix stared. "N-no, of course not. Why would I-?"

"Hah." Armando chuckled mirthlessly under his breath. "Looks like it was fate that led me back to you, after all."

"Wait," asked Maya, "what do you mean, Mr. Armando?"

Armando shrugged. "The two of you can't just go after a serial killer all by yourselves. He's already proven that he doesn't mess around. Even two against one, you're the good guys, and I think any attorney or prosecutor in the world could tell you that the good guys almost never win. It looks like what you really need in your corner right now is one of the bad guys, and so as the resident murderous, black-hearted villain from the depths of hell, I think that means I'm going with you."

"Uh," mumbled Phoenix, "thanks, I think."

Armando pointed a finger at him. "I'm not doing it for you," he reminded him. "If it weren't for our Little Tiger Kitten, I'd never have showed up to this miserable excuse for a dead man's party."

"Oh come on," retorted Maya. "It's not like you've got anything better to do."

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "I'm coming as well," he added. "Obviously."

Everyone turned to look at him.

"Uh…sorry, Mr. Edgeworth," returned Maya, "but that's probably not such a good idea. I mean, we're trying to catch Mr. Bleek, right? He probably knows your face pretty well, and I bet if he sees you, he'll run away."

"I cannot possibly allow you to face him on your own," insisted Edgeworth gallantly. "As Chief Prosecutor it would be remiss of me not to accompany you. Detective Gumshoe will join us as well, of course."

"Right," muttered Gumshoe under his breath, clenching both fists and looking uncharacteristically menaching. "Sure, pal. No problem."

Armando shook his head. "No way," he said. "This whole plan is getting too crowded. He'll be expecting Wright ad Maya, sure. He probably texted Maya just so that Wright would show up, and I'm pretty good at keeping out of sight and out of mind. Anybody else, though, and any excuse for cover that we have is completely blown. It'll never work."

Edgeworth scowled, and his cheek began to twitch spasmodically. "I do not remember asking for your permission, former Prosecutor Godot ," he said quietly. "I do not, in fact, require anyone's permission. I will be accompanying you for multiple perfectly logical reasons, not the least of which is that I will be required on hand to apprehend the criminal once you've successfully subdued him."

"I'm not going to subdue him," retorted Armando. "I'm going to kill him. By the time I'm done with him, you won't have anything left to put on trial."

"Except for you, apparently," murmured Edgeworth dangerously.

Unexpectedly, Armando grinned. "Hah! You've tried that once before. Bring it on, I've got nothing to lose.", "

"Nick," whispered Maya, "this isn't going very well."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix, watching thefrustrated look on Edgeworth's face. _And…I kinda think I know why._

"Miles," he said aloud, placing a quelling hand on Edgeworth's shoulder, "They're right, and you know it. We have to do this alone. If we lose this chance, we might never get another one."

Edgeworth turned abruptly on Phoenix, his eyes dark and his face drawn. "Preposterous," he mumbled, shaking his head. "I cannot allow it. It's far too dangerous."

"It's a necessary risk," insisted Phoenix.

"You have no reasonable grasp of the difference between necessary and unnecessary risk," snapped Edgeworth. "You are remarkably skilled at taking great risks with which you've no means of coping. Need I remind you of the time you injured yourself after running headlong across a burning bridge? Perhaps you've forgotten about the time that you were accused of murder after insisting upon confronting a suspect in the murder of your former Chief? Just a few months ago your reckless refusal to listen to reason caused you a number of serious injuries at the hand of a band of thugs, and you subsequently spent several months in a brace, nursing a set of damaged ribs and a cracked spine. Forgive me, Phoenix, if I find it difficult to have any faith in your concept of necessary risk!"

Edgeworth was angry, and his words were cold, but Phoenix could see the panic in the back of his eyes. Ignoring the stiffness in Edgeworth's shoulders, Phoenix wrapped his arms around him and kissed him gently on the forehead. Edgeworth made a little choking sound of protest in his throat, but, as usual, didn't pull away.

"Miles," said Phoenix, "I'll be fine. I promise. I won't do anything stupid. Maya, Armando and I will look out for each other. It'll be okay."

For a moment, Edgeworth said nothing. Then, he coughed.

"Do not forget," he said quietly, not quite meeting Phoenix's eyes. "You promised me that you would always return home. I expect you to honor that promise."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix, a little relieved. "Yeah, I will. You can count on it."

He squeezed Edgeworth's hands, gave him a good attempt at a confident, manly smile, then turned around again to find that everyone else in the room was now watching him with various degrees of discomfort on their faces.

"Uh, wow," mumbled Gumshoe. "You guys sure are, uh…close."

_I wonder, _thought Phoenix, _if it still makes him uncomfortable that we're both m_en, _or if watching the two of us just makes him mi_ss M_aggey more? Maybe those things are both true. Sorry, Dick. _

"Jeez," muttered Armando, rolling his eyes.

"Go get 'em, Daddy," said Trucy from her seat on the floor.

"And, um, look after Mystic Maya, Mr. Nick," added Trucy. "You…you'll both be fine. I know you will."

"Of course we will," agreed Phoenix, sinking down to the floor to look his daughter in the eye. "You heard me promise, right?"

"Uh huh." Trucy didn't exactly look as chipper as usual, but like Phoenix she was doing her best to keep smiling. "I heard you! I'll be waiting right here."

"Okay!" Maya beamed at her. "And then when we get back, let's all get that pizza!"

Phoenix bent down to give her a kiss on the forehead, and Maya gave Pearl an encouraging little hug.

"Come on," muttered Armando. "We have to get going. You'd better text him back, Kitten, or he'll start getting suspicious."

While Maya typed some hurried response into her phone, Phoenix risked a glance at Edgeworth, who had turned and away and strode over to the window, his whole frame stiff and tense. His cheek had stopped twitching, but he'd shoved both hands into the pocket of his coat and had gone completely, stonily silent.

"Miles," said Phoenix.

Edgeworth didn't reply.

"Miles," Phoenix repeated. "I'm coming back, all right? I'm going to end this, because we've got something to look forward to when it's all over, remember? I haven't forgotten what you said."

Edgeworth turned around, and glanced down at the ring on Phoenix's finger.

"I'll see you later," Phoenix assured him.

Edgeworth nodded once before turning away again. Phoenix headed quickly for the door, following Maya and Armando.

**A very short time later, outside the Wright Anything Agency...**

The lights in the office were still all off when Phoenix and Maya arrived.

"Apollo and Athena must have gone home by now," muttered Phoenix anxiously. "They...couldn't still be in there with him, right?"

"Nope!" Maya tapped her pocket, where she kept her cell phone. "I texted them before we left. They're both home and safe!"

_Thank god, _thought Phoenix, relaxing just a little bit.

Glancing over his shoulder, he realized that he and Maya were unexpectedly alone. "Where's Armando?"

Maya just shrugged. "Somewhere. He's pretty good at sneaking around, except when the lights go out and you can see him glowing in the dark."

Belatedly, Phoenix remembered the one glimpse he'd caught at the party of three red lights glowing in the dark. _Oh. Right._

"He'll be here," Maya assured him. "Come on. Let's go in, Nick."

She smiled, but when she reached for Phoenix's hand to pull him along with her, Phoenix could feel her fingers shaking in his.

"Maya," he said. "It's okay. I won't let anything happen to you."

She turned and beamed at him. "Oh, I know!"

_Not, _thought Phoenix, _that I have a plan, or anything. Miles was right...this is insane. Maybe I should have come alone, without Maya. At least if Bleek goes for me, Maya can run for help. Maybe. Why didn't we spend more time figuring out how we were going to pull this off?_

They were on the steps of the office, now, and when Phoenix reached for the door, he found that it was, in fact, already open.

"Huh," murmured Maya. "I wonder how he got in. Do you think he picked the lock with a toothpick, like they do in all the heist movies?"

"No one uses a toothpick," muttered Phoenix. "You can't pick a lock with a toothpick. You're supposed to use a paperclip."

As quietly as he could, he pushed the door open and stepped softly inside.

"I saw a movie once where the main guy used a toothpick," whispered Maya belligerently.

Phoenix, however, wasn't really listening anymore. He wasn't really listening because he'd caught sight of a shadowy figure standing in the middle of the carpeted floor. It was shorter than Phoenix and sort of round, but that was all that Phoenix could make out in the dark.

"And she said, let there be light!" Maya flicked on the lightswitch, and the room was flooded with artificial brightness, illuminating the smiling face and squat little figure of the infamous Iago Bleek.

He beamed excitedly at them both, his little blue eyes twinkling as he adjusted the collar of his cardigan. "Oh, Mr. Wright, you came! You came after all! I'm...I'm very happy to see you, sir! I was so hoping you'd be able to join us."

Unexpectedly he stepped forward and reached out towards Phoenix. Phoenix jumped back, and Maya squeaked in alarm.

The smile on Bleek's face faded ever so slightly, and he gave first Maya and then Phoenix a vaguely hurt sort of look.

"Oh," he sighed, "then, you won't shake hands with me? But it has been such a long time, and it's been a good game so far, don't you think? Yes...it's been such a fun game. We've both been doing rather well for ourselves, haven't we? Although, if you don't mind me saying so, Mr. Wright, and I'm sure that you don't...it looks, just at the moment, like I'm winning. You won't be a sore loser, will you?"

Bleek's hand drifted down towards his pocket, and Phoenix became aware of a suspicious black object protruding from that pocket. Pushing Maya aside, he stepped in front of her, doing his best to shield her from the benevolently smiling little old man.

"Okay," said Phoenix a bit hoarsely, doing his best to sound far more impressive and undaunted than he felt. "So, you got me here. What do you want?"

Bleek clapped his hands together in almost childlike delight. "Oh, is that how we're going to play? How wonderful! Well, in that case, Mr. Wright, what I want...what I really, really want is a chance to give my final monologue!"

Phoenix blinked. "Your...what?"

"All good villains," continued Bleek patiently, "in all the best films give a final monologue about the crimes they've committed, revealing the dark motives that the hero was never able to determine on his own! You've given me such a wonderful opportunity, you and Miss Fey, to give my monologue! Do you know, I've always preferred the villains. When I was a little boy, I used to let all my little school friends play the heroes, and I would play the villains. We had endless fun together darting around behind trees and hedges, making fingerguns and knocking each other dead, only to get up again and start all over with a new game of superhero-tag." He signed reminiscently. "But, that was a very long time ago, wasn't it? Yes, I suppose it was."

Phoenix's head was reeling. This encounter wasn't going the way he'd expected it to go, not that he'd really had any idea what to expect when he'd first opened the office door. Somehow, he was having a very hard time remembering that there was almost certainly a gun in this man's pocket, as Bleek went on and on about the games he'd played as a child.

"So," said Maya suddenly, "you wanted to tell us something, right? I mean, you wanted to give your big speech about your plan? We're listening, Mr. Bleek. Go ahead! We're all ears."

Bleek nodded at her. "very well, Miss Fey. That's very kind of you. If you'll just sit down right here and make yourselves comfortable, then I'll tell you all about it."

He gestured with one hand at the sofa, while keeping the other hovering in the vicinity of his pocket.

All too aware that they had no other options, Phoenix and Maya sank down onto the sofa, while Bleek coughed and cleared his throat.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Authors' End Note: **I was going to justify a few of my literary choices in this note, but I think I'd rather wait and see how you react. Remember, we still have a few chapters of the conclusion to go before all is revealed.

I do, however, have a reader response question for you!

This is, of course, related to my previous question abot unusual pairings.

What is the most strange, weird, crazy or unusual Ace Attorney crack pairing that you can possibly think of?

For example, my friend **Ersatz Writer** suggested Edgeworth/Desk.

Honestly, I'd prefer if you put two human beings together, but I'm open to any ideas. Let's see what insanity we can come up with!


	62. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Twenty One

**Author's Note: **Struggling to juggle a bunch of things this week, including the original story that I'm writing and the lines that I'm trying to learn for an upcoming show.

I REALLY want to get this chapter out, though, so I'll see if I can possibly finish it this evening. Also, I have the day off today, so I might even be able to update more than once or twice this week! Heres' hoping!

As always, thanks for your infinite patience. You are the very best readers in the entire world. That's a statement of fact.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty One: Lovers in a Dangerous Time – Part Three**

**October 3**

**9:00 PM**

**The Offices of the Wright Anything Agency**

For a few terrible, weird moments, Bleek frowned contemplatively to himself, twiddling his thumbs together and gazing at the carpet. Finally, he looked up and smiled gently into Phoenix's face.

"Mr. Wright," he asked, "I know that it's been a little time, now, but do you remember when you first took my case?"

"Uh," mumbled Phoenix, "Y-yeah, I think so. I mean…it wasn't THAT long ago, and I've sort of been thinking about it a lot, lately."

Bleek nodded encouragingly. "Oh, good, good! Then, you'll recall that when I first asked you to represent me in court, you agreed to do it almost immediately! I was so surprised! You barely even had to think about it. The very moment that I asked you, you were already on my side, and as soon as you left the detention center that morning you went straight to work on my case! Isn't that right?"

Phoenix nodded. "Yeah, that's right. The trial was the next day, so it's not like I had a lot of time to waste."

"Of course," agreed Bleek. "But, I've always wanted to ask you, Mr. Wright…why did you take my case so quickly? You never even hesitated. You didn't bat an eye! You were my ally from the very beginning. Why, Mr. Wright?"

Phoenix had never gotten a question quite like that before. "Uh," he muttered confusedly. "I…I don't know, honestly. I…just sort of trusted my gut, I guess, and my gut told me to trust you. You looked like an innocent man. You sounded like an innocent man. I had a good feeling about you, so I went with it."

Bleek sighed. "I looked like an innocent man," he repeated thoughtfully. "You got the feeling that you could trust me, hmm?"

"Yeah," said Phoenix. "I guess I did."

"I know you did," sighed Bleek, shaking his head gently and giving Phoenix a sad little smile. "I did know that you'd say that, Mr. Wright, and…do you know something? Ever since the very first moment that you decided to trust me, I have hated you for it."

Maya blinked "Wait…what? Mr. Bleek, you…hate Nick because he trusted you? Did I get that wrong?"

"Oh, no," Bleek assured Maya hastily, "you're quite right, Miss Fey! I can see that you're a very good listener. I have hated Mr. Wright all this time because he decided to trust me after meeting me for the very first time."

Both Phoenix and Maya stared in bemused silence.

_I'm l_ost, thought Phoenix. _Then again, maybe he's completely insane. Aren't most serial killers technically insane? I mean, sane people don't go around murdering other people at will, right? I probably shouldn't expect the guy to make a lot of sense. _

"Mr. Wright," Bleek went on, lacing his fat little fingers together and gazing benevolently down at Maya and Phoenix on the sofa. _"_Please, please, correct me if I'm wrong, but you decided to trust me because I'm a nice, friendly, gentle-looking little old man, didn't you? You thought it would be safe to take my case because I'm such a dreadfully honest and non-threatening person. I believe it was Miss Fey herself who said the telling words, 'Mr. Bleek couldn't a hurt a fly.' Isn't that right?"

Maya swallowed. "Um, yeah," she said, "I…I think I said that."

"You did," Bleek told her, still nodding. "It was at the trial. I'm a good listener, too, Miss Fey."

"That's…nice." Maya shot a quick, puzzled look at Phoenix."I think."

"And, you see," Bleek went on, "those little comments of yours, your assurance of my innocent and all of your little notions about how I couldn't hurt a soul…those are all assumptions, Mr. Wright, Miss Fey. They're assumptions, hiding under the sweet little guise of what we all call 'trust,' and you know what they say about assumptions, don't you? They make an ass out of you and me!"

He giggled, still beaming at them both.

"I don't like assumptions," he told them, matter-of-factly, without any obvious malice. "I don't like it when people assume that I'm so weak and useless. You wouldn't like it if someone said that about you, would you, Mr. Wright? No, I don't think so. Of course, you wouldn't know about that. You're a hero! You're a great lawyer. Everyone is always talking about how great and powerful you are in the courtroom. Your words can hurt. Your words can save lives! You're a force to be reckoned with, sir, unlike poor, delicate, sweet little Mr. Iago Bleek who could never even hurt a fly."

"Nick," whispered Maya, "I think maybe he's crazy!"

Phoenix, on the other hand, wasn't so sure about that anymore.

"I bet you already know this, Mr. Wright, but I was married, once," Bleek was now saying. "I had a pretty little wife named Claire. I don't think I ever had a chance to tell you about Claire, although I assume the police have probably spoken to her several times by now. We were married a long time ago, when I was even younger than you are now!" He grinned. "Claire was a very nice girl, but she liked to get into trouble sometimes. Maybe that's why I liked her so much! I've always sort of fallen for the bad girls." Again, he giggled. "Her mother liked me, of course, because I was a good boy. I never got into any trouble, and I was non-threatening. If I'd only had a slightly better job, I'd have been a mother's dream come true, and so we got married and we lived together for just a little while. I used to make Claire laugh a lot. We laughed all the time, for the first year or so."

For the first time since he'd started monologuing, Bleek's face changed ever-so-slightly. There was suddenly a darkness lurking just at the back of his eyes that sent an ugly little chill rocketing down Phoenix's spine.

"But," sighed Bleek, "Claire left me, one day. She got bored, and she ran off with a man who was in a biker gang. He was a much more exciting man, I suppose. He had a much more exciting, dangerous life, and I think , you know, that women like that sort of thing. I wasn't angry. I don't blame Claire. I just decided that day that I need to work on being more of a man, and less of a mouse. I even wore a leather jacket for a few weeks, and I thought about getting a tattoo, although ultimately I couldn't make up my mind as to which one I wanted. It's difficult, you know, because whatever you get you're stuck with for life, so of course I wanted to be sending the right message. One needs to think carefully about these things."

For a long moment, Bleek fell silent unexpectedly, still smiling, but apparently brooding about his lost, bored little love affair.

"And…did it work?" Maya was frowning. "I mean, did you get, uh…more interesting?"

Bleek looked up at her again. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "I think maybe I did. Do you know that I'm exceptionally good at graffiti? Yes, street graffiti. I have quite a talent for the artistic pursuits, and I can do some very lovely block lettering. I've done some big graffiti on the old tunnel down a few miles from main street. Once, I attended a slam poetry meeting in the train station after hours. That was very exciting. Everyone else there was much younger than me, of course, but they were all quite taken with the empowering poem I performed, which I entitled 'I Am Exciting….Fuck!'" I felt scandalous composing it, but it was, as I say, a big hit."

"I…bet," muttered Phoenix.

"So you see," continued Bleek, "I'm actually a very interesting person. There are a number of things that you couldn't possibly know about me when you met me, and yet as soon as you saw me, you thought you knew me well enough o trust me. I'm not a trustworthy person, Mr. Wright. I'm a slam poet. I've considered a tattoo. I'm a graffiti artist, which means, technically, that I have been a criminal for many years in my own right. Yet, just one look at my face led you to make such ridiculous assumptions about my character. You call that 'trust,' Mr. Wright, but I call it nonsense, or perhaps foolishness on your part. I thought it was important to teach you a lesson, or rather, to teach the world a lesson; that you can't judge a book by its cover. I'm not a little, helpless, non-threatening old man. I'm a murderer, Mr. Wright. I'm an unpredictable person…although I suppose that even you'll be able to easily predict what's going to happen next in our little drama."

Phoenix's blood went cold as Bleek patted the pocket out of which was protruding the very end of the gun.

"Look, Mr. Bleek," he began. "I'm very sorry if I've offended you. You're right – I made an assumption; but as your lawyer it's my responsibility to believe in you. Blind trust is part of our stock in trade. It's who we are."

"Ah," retorted Bleek pleasantly, "then perhaps you shouldn't be a lawyer anymore. After all, I think I've successfully proved my point that sometimes, blind trust is a terrible, terrible miscalculation, even for professional reasons. Perhaps the very practice of lawyering is flawed in at its very foundations."

He shook his head. A bead of sweat made its way tortuously down the back of Phoenix's neck.

"I wouldn't waste your time letting it bother you, however," he said. "After all, I am going to kill you, and any re-examination of the legal profession that occurs subsequently won't trouble you at all, so put it out of your mind and think of something nice. Is there something nice that you think about when you're feeling really, really upset or stressed? Would you like to tell me about it? As I've already said, I'm an excellent listener."

He took a step forward, and Phoenix recoiled against the back of the sofa, his mind racing as he tried desperately to come with some kind of argument that would at least still Bleek long enough for Maya to make a run for it.

"Nick," squeaked Maya.

_Where the hell, _wondered Phoenix, _is that guy Armando? Oh my god, I'm going to die. Miles, Trucy, I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry that I'm going to be breaking my promise. I never meant to let you down, but-!_

"Hah," said the voice of Diego Armando, from somewhere nearthe door to Phoenix's private office. "I liked that one line about 'assumptions making an ass out of you and me.' Look, Bleek, here's a piece of advice from the devil – if you really want people to take you seriously, quit using archaic clichés."

"Oh, please," sighed Maya. "Like he has any right to talk about using clichés!"

They all turned to see Armando standing in the private office doorway.

"Ah," murmured Bleek, his eyes widening in surprise. "I see that I'm not the only one who has been jumping to conclusions, lately! So, you weren't alone! How wonderful."

He took a step towards Armando, reaching unexpectedly into his back pocket. Phoenix was surprised when he pulled a battered penknife out of the pocket, smiled, and then began advancing on Armando, unsheathing the knife as he went.

"Tch," muttered Armando, giving the knife a disappointed look. "Really?"

He started forward in a half-crouch, obviously intending to wrestle the knife out of Bleek's grasp.

Phoenix's mind was racing.

_He hasn't seen the gun, _thought Phoenix frantically. _I don't even know if Maya's seen the gun._

"Armando," he shouted. "Watch it, he has a-!"

The next few moments happened quickly and loudly, drowning out Phoenix's warning attempt. Armando dove for the knife, tore it forcefully away from Bleek, and then leapt back, brandishing it menacingly at him and half-grinning, half-grimacing. Bleek frowned down at his empty hand, sighed, shrugged, and then suddenly drew the pistol from his front pocket and fired it almost lazily, straight at Armando's chest. Phoenix heard the tearing sound as the bullet struck home, and Armando snarled with pain before staggering and then collapsing to the ground with a terrible thud.

"NO!" Maya screamed. "MR. ARMANDO!"

Phoenix winced and swallowed hard. He couldn't tell if Armando was still breathing or not, and there was blood oozing all over the bullet hole in his chest.

Bleek just shook his head almost sadly. "Do you see, now? You have to start expecting the unexpected! You can't always assume that you know all the rules of the game before we start!"

Reaching down, he laid the gun at Armando's side, then retrieved the knife from Armando's now open hand.

"I have to finish this the right way," he said over his shoulder to Maya and Phoenix. "All the best villains in all the best dramas use the same murder method every time. It's like a signature, and I want to be sure that I have a very clear signature. I think it adds a nice little touch of style, don't you? Just because I'm a criminal doesn't mean there's any need to get sloppy."

He held the knife above Armando's chest, frowning to himself as he hesitated.

"Ah," he murmured, "I wonder if I should still write a note? After all, I don't suppose there's any need. You won't have any trouble connecting this murder to the rest of the case. I went to so much trouble to help you find your way through, Mr. Wright. I'm not sure if we should call that cheating or not…"

Beside Phoenix, Maya started moving. She got to her feet, slowly and quietly, and started towards Bleek while his back was turned.

"Maya," hissed Phoenix.

Maya, however, completely ignored him. Panicking, he stood up as well, prepared to leap to action as soon as he figured out exactly what action he was supposed to take.

_Maya, _he thought desperately, _what are you doing? If I draw attention o you, now, he'll see you, and if he sees you he'll probably kill you. Come back!_

Maya was now standing just behind Bleek, who still seemed to be contemplating whether or not he was required to leave a note. Bending down, she carefully reached around Armando, picked up the gun, and got quietly back to her feet.

"Ah, well," sighed Bleek. "I can always write the note late if I must. I suppose I should finish this job first before starting another. He looks so miserable lying there, still alive. My first priority now is to give him some relief. Then we can worry about the details."

Bleek stood up, turned around, and found Maya pointing the gun at his head.

"Oh," he said, again clearly surprised. "How careless of me."

For some reason, though, he didn't sound too worried. Phoenix prepared to spring, to intercept him if he had to, or just to shove Maya out of the way of whatever assault was imminent.

"Miss Fey," asked Bleek sweetly, "have you ever fired a gun before? I don't imagine you even know how to use that weapon. If you're not exceedingly careful, the bullet might go wide, and you might hit poor…Mr. Armando, was it? Or, perhaps if you're truly, terribly unlucky you'll end up hitting Mr. Wright. If I were you, I'd put the gun down. That's not a threat, only words of sage advice from an old man who knows what he's talking about."

Maya, however, didn't say a word. In fact, Phoenix had finally noticed that something was happening, and that Maya's figure was warping and changing just as it did when she was in the middle of a difficult, slow channeling. She was growing very slightly, and when she finally did open her mouth to speak, it wasn't her own voice that came out.

"This time, Mr. Bleek, you're the one who's making all the wrong assumptions about people," said the voice of Maggey Gumshoe from between Maya's lips. "I'm actually a pretty good shot, sir."

Bleek blinked. "Oh," he said.

Maggey fired, and as she did so she turned very slightly, and Phoenix got a quick look at her face. As he watched, Maggey's face changed suddenly into the crooked, slightly sneering face of Ms. Susan Spine, and then changed again into the bored-looking but beautiful face of Aura Blackquill. For just a split second, Phoenix thought he caught a glimpse of Mia Fey's face, stern and hard as she gazed down the barrel of gun, and then almost immediately Maya was back in her own body, watching as Iago Bleek fell backwards on top of Armando in a heap, their bodies creating a strange and sickening tableau in the middle of the floor.

For a horrible moment in reminded Phoenix disturbingly of the scene in Romeo and Juliet at the Renaissance Festival, when Romeo and Juliet had lain dead together in the final scene. He shivered, then rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Maya's shaking shoulders.

The gun fell out of her hand onto the floor, and then she shook him off and ran to Armando's side.

"Mr. Armando," she called, shaking Mr. Armando's arm, staring into his face and putting her head to his chest in what was apparently an attempt to listen for a pulse. "Mr. Armando! Please…please don't be dead! Please…don't go! Don't leave me here. Mia wouldn't want that! She'd be so mad if you left me all alone!"

Big, hot tears were pouring down her face, and Phoenix could feel tears pricking at the corners of his own eyes as they both watched Armando lying prone and motionless on the floor.

Behind them, the door to the Wright Anything Agency burst open, and two sets of footsteps pounded hurriedly in.

"Phoenix," called Edgeworth. "You're…ah…thank god."

Phoenix turned to find Edgeworth standing behind him, his face white and drawn and his cheek twitching savagely.

"Miles," mumbled Phoenix, startled. "You…I thought you were supposed to stay back at the apartment."

Edgeworth scowled. "Don't be a fool. You can't possibly imagine that I'd willingly allow you to come here alone. The good detective and I were outside. We heard gunshots."

"Y-yeah," said Phoenix, gesturing at the two fallen forms of Bleek and Armando. "Maya…shot him. I mean…no, that's not it, uh, Maggey-!"

"I heard her voice," muttered Gumshoe, who was now with Maya, crouching over Armando. "So…she got him in the end, huh? Good for her. That's…that's my girl. My Maggey…"

"Phoenix," demanded Edgeworth, grabbing Phoenix by both shoulders and turning him around to face him. "You're not hurt, are you? Have you been injured? Has he done anything to you?"

Edgeworth sounded as though he was struggling to maintain control, but Phoenix's brain was still too muddled and full of what had happened. He felt dull and confused, and just shook his head.

"I'm…I'm fine," he managed, not sure that 'fine' was the word he wanted. "I'm okay. He didn't get me. But…Miles, Armando-!"

"We gotta call an ambulance, pal," said Gumshoe, getting quickly to his feet. "Like…five minutes ago. Hang on a second."

Without waiting for a response, Gumshoe stepped into the private office to use his phone. Maya was still huddled up on the ground, sniffling over Armando's body.

"It's my fault," she whispered. "It's…it's my fault AGAIN!"

Phoenix detached himself from Edgeworth, crossed over to Maya and sat down on the floor beside her, looking on in the silence of solidarity as she cried and cried and cried.

_No, _he thought, his heart like a lead weight in his chest. _Weren't you listening? None of this was your fault, Maya._ _All along, all of this…it really was mine. _

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

We've almost reached the end. Obviously there are still some emotional loose ends to be tied up, here.

I don't have a reader response question for today. Actually, maybe today's reader response question should be

**What do you think of the story so far?**

Does that…count?

Sorry. I promise to be far more creative in my next update. It's hard to think of a good question for this chapter.


	63. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Twenty Two

**Author's Note: **Let's see if we can make this a double-update Monday.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Two: Forever – Part One**

**October 30 (three weeks later)**

**12:00 PM**

**Hickfield Clinic**

Maya perched on a stool next to the cot while Diego Armando forced himself up onto his elbows, grunting uncomfortably about the pain in his chest.

"It still hurts pretty bad, huh?" She frowned. "I'm sorry…"

Armando raised an eyebrow at her. "What the hell are you sorry about? I got shot in the chest. Obviously it's going to hurt. If it wasn't for you, I'd probably never have made it out of there alive. Don't you dare be sorry, Kitten."

Maya nodded, but she couldn't quite bring herself to meet his eyes.

"Hey," he said, a little more gently, lifting her chin with two fingers and forcing her to look him straight in the face. "Come on, no more tears, remember? It's over, now, for good."

Maya tried to smile at him, but he obviously wasn't convinced.

"So," he asked, "what is it? What's got my raging Tiger Kitten in such a bleak, black funk?"

"I…I just can't get it out of my head," mumbled Maya. "I mean…I killed him. Mr. Armando, I KILLED him. I've…I've never done anything like that, before. He was alive and talking and moving, and then I just-!"

"You just didn't do a thing," interrupted Armando quietly. "You're not yourself when you're channeling a spirit. You're not responsible."

Maya shook her head impatiently. "No," she insisted, "I killed him. It was me. Sure, Maggey pulled the trigger, but I knew what I was doing. I…I just…"

She stopped and bit down hard on her lip. Armando waited.

"Well," he asked. "You just what?"

Again, Maya hesitated, not wanting to think too hard about it, but unable to stop herself from remembering that horrible little scene.

"I just saw you lying there on the ground," she said finally, "and…and he had that knife. I thought you were dead, or maybe you weren't dead and he was going to stab you, and there was so much blood, and I was…I was so cared."

She shuddered, and Armando reached out to pass an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm all right now," he assured her, a bit hoarsely. "Nothing to be scared of anymore. Don't think about it. Okay?"

Maya nodded. "O…okay," she mumbled.

"You're not guilty," he went on a bit awkwardly, his arm still wrapped protectively around Maya. "Your precious Wright saw to that. Justifiable Homicide, committed in an act of self defense. No crime, and therefore no time. Put it behind you, Tiger Kitten. Don't let it haunt you. Get one thing straight, too…you didn't do a damn thing wrong. You're not a killer."

"I am," insisted Maya. "I killed him for you."

Armando's face went dark. "Yeah," he muttered. "Well…if I'd been awake, I'd never have let you do it. I wouldn't have let you make yourself into a monster for me."

Maya frowned, and looked him square in the eye.

"You couldn't have stopped me," she told him.

"Hah." Despite himself, Armando looked impressed. "There's that Tiger Kitten of mine."

He started to remove his arm, but Maya suddenly leaned into the embrace, snuggling against him. She felt his heart start beating much faster in his chest, and he stiffened against her.

"Uh," he muttered confusedly. "Hey, Kitten, this isn't-!"

"I like that," she said, too tired to be careful. "I liked it when you said I was 'your Tiger Kitten,' too. I'd like to be yours. Maybe I'm not gorgeous or smart or clever like Mia was, but…I really, really like you, Mr. Armando, and I totally shot someone to save your life, so that's…I mean, that's kind of a big deal, don't you think?"

She turned around to smile at him, and found him staring at her wide-eyed, obviously at a loss for words.

"Anyway," she suggested, shrugging, "think about it, okay? I'll be back tomorrow, so you can think about it while I'm gone. Oh, and before I forget, I brought you this."

Jumping down from the stool, she hurried over to the chair by the door and retrieved the hot thermos of coffee she'd brought from home.

"I made this at Nick's," she told Armando, handing the thermos over. "It's that stuff you like, 'Blend Number 107,' or something. I'll bring you some more in the morning, because I bet hospital coffee isn't very good."

Armando darted a quick glance at the coffee, then back at Maya's face.

"Th-thanks," he mumbled. "I…this'll be a better cure than anything they've got in those cabinets. You really are a life saver."

She grinned.

"Uh, listen, Kitten," began Armando, scratching uncomfortably at the back of his neck and actually putting the coffee down on the cot beside him. "About your, uh, proposal. I don't-!"

"Nope!" Maya hurriedly cut him off. "I told you to think about it! We can talk tomorrow, okay? Actually,I sort of have to go. I have a lunch date with Nick. He's been feeling kinda down, lately, you know?"

Armando frowned. "Yeah," he said. "I can imagine. Um…sure. Why not. Tomorrow, then."

"Mmhmm!" Maya nodded, smiled, prepared to climb down from the stool again, and then paused.

_Oh, well, _she thought, _I guess nothing ventured, nothing gained at this point!_

On a crazy whim, she spun around, leaned over, and kissed Armando on the cheek. The skin around and beneath his visor instantly turned hot and pink.

"H-hey," he shouted, obviously startled. "What the-?"

"Oops, gotta go!" Maya jumped hurriedly down from the stool and made a bee-line for the door. "Like I said, I'm late for a very important lunch date! See you tomorrow, Mr. Armando!"

She made a quick retreat before he had a chance to come up with anything else to say.

**An hour or so later, at Gourd Lake…**

Miles Edgeworth stood down by the water, frowning uncertainly at one of the rental boats out in the middle of the lake.

_Something about this, _he thought, _just doesn't feel quite right…_

Beside him, Adrian Andrews sighed. "What is it, Mr. Edgeworth? Is something the matter?"

Edgeworth just shook his head and made a vague gesture with one hand out at the lake. "Not here," he muttered. "This place…there are too many negative associations with this place. We have too much history, here."

"I see." Adrian made a little mark in her notebook. "But, Mr. Edgeworth, didn't you say that you and Mr. Wright's first date took place here, at the Wet Noodle restaurant?"

"Ah, well…yes," agreed Edgeworth, "but if I recall properly, Phoenix's only comment on that occasion was that the spaghetti was too expensive. I hardly want him worrying about the price of the entree while I'm preparing to ask him the most important and serious question that perhaps I shall ever ask."

Adrian just nodded, made another note, and then closed her notebook.

"In that case," she asked, "where do you want to go next?"

Edgeworth sighed. "I…honestly, Ms. Andrews, I have no idea. I only know that I want the proposal to be perfect. I wish to make it a memorable occasion."

For the first time since they'd arrived at the lake, Adrian smiled.

"Mr. Edgeworth, if you don't mind me saying so, you're going to ask him to marry you. No matter what you do or how you do it, it's going to be a memorable occasion. Mr. Wright isn't exactly hard to please. I think he'll be happy no matter what you do."

"I certainly hope so," sighed Edgeworth. "Perhaps you're right. In any case, it seems that I require a little more time to think about this. I'm sorry to have wasted so much of your time."

Adrian shook her head. "It's no trouble," she assured him, perhaps dishonestly. "Just give me a call when you decide what you want to do, and I'll be happy to help set the mood. Actually, I'm pretty excited about it. You both deserve to have something nice in your lives. I'm honored to be a part of your 'perfect moment.'"

She smiled again, nodded, and then headed off towards her car. Edgeworth spent another long moment frowning disapprovingly at the lake before returning to his own vehicle, and driving away from Gourd Lake and back out onto the highway.

The clock on his dashboard told him that it was only just now one o'clock in the afternoon.

_Lunchtime, _he thought. _I wonder if Phoenix has taken his lunch break, yet. Knowing him, it's unlikely_. _Perhaps I'll drive by the Agency and see if he'd be interested in joining me for a meal before we both return to our duties._

The idea of seeing Phoenix was inspiring enough to make the rest of the long drive pass by rather quickly. Before too long, Edgeworth arrived and parked his car outside the Wright Anything Agency. Finding that the door was open, he strode right in and up to the door of Phoenix's private office.

There were voices coming from inside the office, and Edgeworth paused with his hand poised to knock at the door.

_Ah, _he thought. _It seems he has a client. I'll have to wait._

He was just about to turn around and head for the sofa in the foyer when he realized that he recognized at least one of the voices in the office.

"But, Nick," Maya's voice was saying on the other side of the door, "this is crazy! You haven't accepted a client in three weeks! This is a law agency, isn't it? How are you supposed to make any money if you won't take any clients? I bet Athena's super mad at you."

Phoenix sighed audibly.

"I know, I know," he mumbled miserably, "but…Maya, it's just no use. I've tried, I really have, but…I don't know, maybe my heart's just not in it, anymore."

"Huh?" Maya sounded surprised. "You mean, you don't like being a lawyer anymore?"

"No! No, it's not that," insisted Phoenix. "I mean…well, okay, I guess it's sort of like that. Uh…gah, what am I trying to say?"

"I…have no idea,' admitted Maya. "What ARE you trying to say?"

"Yeah, uh, well…look, it's like this," said Phoenix slowly. "Every time I meet a new client, I sort of…freeze up. The client starts talking to me, and I'm listening, I'm really listening, but all I can think about is, 'what if this guy's lying?' What if he or she turns out to be really guilty, or what if there's something about this person that I don't know? How can you possibly really know someone after just a couple of conversations and a little bit of snooping in the newspapers? You can't. It's not possible. No matter what your first impressions are, or what you feel or think you know, you can always be wrong. I can always be wrong. What if I'm wrong again? What if I defend the wrong client? I think you and I both know what kind of nightmare that can turn into."

"Everyone makes mistakes, Nick," said Maya quietly.

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix, "but I can't. I can't afford to make mistakes; not in this line of work. Any mistake I make might lead to another murder. I…I just can't afford to risk it anymore. I can't bring myself to take on any clients."

"You forgot how to trust them," murmured Maya.

"I….yeah, maybe," sighed Phoenix. "Or…no, maybe I've just realized that I can't trust myself. Either way, I don't think I'll be accepting any new cases any time soon. Maybe I'll never accept a new case again. I don't know. I…don't know a lot of things, right now."

"Awww," sighed Maya. "Nick…"

For a long moment, they were both silent. Edgeworth felt a little lump beginning to form in his throat.

_Phoenix, _he thought. _Of course, you would be doubting yourself after the debacle that you've recently been through. It's been terribly difficult for you these past few weeks, but if I know you at all, then you'll rally before long. I am certain that it's only a matter of time before a new case arouses your interest, and you are back in the courtroom facing both _a _worthy opponent and your fears. You're braver than you realize. _

"Sorry," muttered Phoenix. "I'm probably just bringing you down."

"Nope," retorted Maya staunchly. "Of course not! I just, um…well, if you're not going to accept any new clients, then what are you going to do? I mean, you have to do SOMETHING, or you'll probably get really bored and then you'll starve to death, right?"

"Right," agreed Phoenix. He took a deep, audible breath. "Uh, listen, Maya…I'm going to tell you this, but I want you to keep it to yourself, okay? You can't tell anyone. This is just between us, got it?"

"Got it," agreed Maya eagerly. "I won't say a word! So, what's the big secret?"

Again, it was a moment before Phoenix responded.

"I'm…thinking of going to Boston," he said finally.

Edgeworth started. _Wh-what? _

"Huh," said Maya. "You mean, like, for the weekend?"

"No," replied Phoenix. "Not for the weekend. Not exactly. Trucy's probably going to get admitted to college up there, and I thought…well, I thought that maybe we'd both move up there together before she starts school. It'd be a nice change for both of us, and…frankly, Maya, I think I need a change. I'm floundering. I' not sure what I'm doing, or who I'm supposed to be. I'm…I'm pretty lost."

Maya said something comforting, but Edgeworth was no longer listening to what it was. His head was reeling as he frantically tried to process everything that he'd just heard.

_Boston, _he thought. _B…Boston? Phoenix is…moving to Boston? I…I have a hard time believing this. He's never discussed it with me. It…no, it isn't possible. I'm certain he'd never do such a preposterous thing. _

"Well…if that's what you really think you want to do,"Maya was saying sadly on the other side of the door. "We'll miss you, Nick."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "I'll miss you too, Maya. You know I will."

_He is serious, _realized Edgeworth, a horrible lead weight sinking deeper and deeper into his chest. _My god, he…no, but I t_hought…_I was certain that he was beginning to think about the future. We…we had promised each other a future, had we not? What was all of that talk about marriage, and forever, and…and what we could be_ _to each other once the Bleek case was finally over? What was the purpose of all of that if he was only going to leave? Did it all mean nothing?_

Edgeworth's whole body had gone cold, and he was barely aware of leaving the office and shutting the door behind him. He made his way back to his car, and then sat for a moment in the driver's seat, staring blankly out the front window, seeing nothing and feeling nothing but a rising internal tide of injury, misery, and the slow burn of a dull, incredulous anger.

_I don't understand, _he thought desperately. _Is it possible that all this time, I've been nothing more than a lovesick fool? _

**Meanwhile, at that exact moment inside Phoenix's private office…**

Maya sniffled, and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I'll never have another best friend like you," she told Phoenix, shaking her head unhappily. "Who will I go and get burgers with at four o'clock in the morning, now? Who's gonna defend me in court if I get myself into trouble again? Nobody else would do that for me."

"Aww, don't worry, Maya," Phoenix assured her. "It's not forever. Think of it like a really long vacation. I'll spend a year in Boston, I'll clear my head, and then I'll come home again. It'll be just like that time that Miles went and studied for a while in Germany before coming back to the Prosecutor's office. While I'm gone, I'll call you every week, so if anything really does go wrong, I'll know, and I can be back in a couple of days to bail you out. Don't worry."

Maya swallowed hard, and nodded. "Just a year, huh?"

"Well, maybe." Phoenix shrugged. "Maybe a little more, maybe a little less, but I can promise you that I won't be gone for too long. My whole life is here. Trucy'll probably want to move back here after school's done, anyway."

"Oh…okay." Maya seemed to perk up a bit. "Well…I guess I can handle that. You really scared me, Nick! I thought you were planning to go away forever!"

"Haha, sorry." Phoenix rubbed awkwardly at the back of his neck. "I guess maybe I phrased it badly?"

"Yeah, you did," Maya informed him. "Sheesh. Oh, but…wait, what about Mr. Edgeworth? What are you going to tell him?"

Phoenix paused, then took a deep breath.

"I've been thinking a lot about that," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a folded piece of paper. "I…don't know what he's going to say, but I'm going to ask him to marry me before I go."

He unfolded the paper, revealing a California state marriage license, with only Phoenix's name filled in, and the rest left blank.

"Ooooh," exclaimed Maya, her eyes wide.

"I know it's a bit soon," admitted Phoenix hurriedly, "and sure, it's not the most romantic proposal in the world, but…I don't to risk losing him while I'm gone. I'm…well, I want to ask him to come to Boston with me, of course, but that's not fair. He's the Chief Prosecutor, and that job is very important to him. It's his whole life. I can't take that away from him. If he'd be willing to wait for me until I get back, that'd be…that'd be more than good enough."

He sighed, re-folded the paper and shoved it back into his pocket.

"I'm terrified that he'll say no," he told Maya, running both hands through his hair. "Maybe he won't want to wait. Maybe he's not up for long distance. Maybe this is a really bad idea. Like I said, I…I'm really not so sure that I trust myself lately. I might be screwing everything up, but…I need this."

He gave Maya a miserable, beseeching look, and she reached out to give his hand a comforting little pat. Then she pointed at the "TRUST" ring on Phoenix's finger.

"Oh, he'll definitely say yes," she assured him. "Mr. Edgeworth is crazy about you! YOU'RE his whole world, Nick. Plus, when you get back from Boston you can have a super big, fancy wedding, and I'm going to be your Best Man!"

Phoenix blinked. "My…best man? Wait, but you're a woman. Don't I get a say in the matter?"

Maya shook her head." Nope," she said. "You don't. If I have to, I'll be a Best Woman, but this I s probably the only time that my best friend's ever going to get married, so there's no way I'm passing up the chance to give an embarrassing speech!"

"Oh," muttered Phoenix. "Uh...great? Thanks, I guess..."

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

Whoo-hoo!

Double update Monday it is!

Okay, so now for a REAL reader response question:

**What do you think would happen to the Wright Anything Agency if Phoenix really did leave? Who would be in charge? Would anyone new get hired? Would they sink or swim? **


	64. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Twenty Three

**Author's Note: **So, after a great deal of serious consideration, I went back and edited the middle section of Chapter Twenty Two (the previous chapter.)

Honestly, I only edited maybe ten or twelve words, altogether, but I softened Edgeworth's reaction and made it a little less abrasive and abrupt. I think it flows better that way, and I hope you'll agree. Please feel free to go back and check out the edits to the previous chapter if you're so inclined, although, again, it was only a small change that makes me feel better as a writer.

And now, moving right along...

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Three: Forever – Part Two**

**October 30, 2029**

**9:20 PM**

**The Prosecutor's Office**

For the next several hours, Edgeworth sat at his desk in the Prosecutor's Office and tried as hard as he could to concentrate.

Unfortunately, it was no good. Though he prided himself on being a rational, driven and focused man, he found himself continuously haunted by echoes of what he'd heard outside Phoenix's office. He kept turning Phoenix's words around and around in his head, forcing himself to re-visit and re-feel the dull sensations of surprise and betrayal, driving the psychological knife in deeper and deeper of his own free and morbid will even as he tried to find, in the echoes of Phoenix's words, any reason to believe that he'd misunderstood and that there wasn't, really, any cause for irrational alarm.

The hours on the clock ticked by at a snail's pace while he stewed, mused and brooded to himself, fixating on the image of Phoenix's face, smiling and unconcerned as he pronounced the death sentence of the future that Edgeworth had been so anxiously anticipating even against his better judgment. Before too long, Edgeworth looked up at the clock and discovered that it was already after nine o'clock at night. Everyone else in the office had probably already gone home for the evening, and it was probably time for Edgeworth to do the same.

That, of course, posed a problem all of it's own. Which 'home' was Edgeworth to go to?

He struggled to make up his mind about that all the way to the car, and when he finally started the engine and took the road, he found himself heading almost automatically for Phoenix's apartment building.

_I'll confess to the eavesdropping, _he decided, honestly mortified by the idea, but sure that he couldn't endure the uncertainty any longer. _I'll tax him with what I've overhead, and demand an explanation. If nothing else, this will at least give me peace of mind, or, rather, a solid foundation for a logical reaction. As things stand and without some sort of assurance one way or another, I will no doubt drive myself insane. Doubt is crippling. Certainty, even tragic certainty is preferable to creeping doubt. _

When he arrived at the apartment, Edgeworth could hear Trucy's music blasting through her bedroom door. Phoenix was sitting on the sofa watching something mindless-looking on television, but he jumped up when he heard the key turn in the lock.

"Miles," he said, looking and sounding relieved. "You're home. I was starting to get worried. It's, uh…well, it's kinda late."

Edgeworth was having a harder time than he'd expected dealing with Phoenix's face. Phoenix was acting so naturally, as though nothing between them had changed at all. It felt strange and surreal, and there was a painful sort of aching feeling in Edgeworth's chest.

"Tough day, huh," said Phoenix." Lots of paperwork? I guess being Chief Prosecutor's never boring, right?"

"Y-yes," managed Edgeworth. "Naturally."

Phoenix sighed "Sorry to hear that. Well, anyway, I'm glad you're home. I've been thinking about you all day."

Unexpectedly, he closed the distance between them, folded his arms around Edgeworth and kissed him earnestly on the mouth.

Edgeworth stiffened and turned his head away. "I…hardly think this an appropriate time."

"Aw, come on," retorted Phoenix, shrugging. "Maybe it's the perfect time. Seems to me like you need to relax a little bit. Here, I'll help."

His lips drifted down to the curve of Edgeworth's neck, and Edgeworth sucked in a sharp breath, recoiling from the touch even as he thrilled at the pleasurable contact.

"Phoenix," he mumbled, scowling, "stop this immediately."

"Hmm?" Phoenix looked up, and relaxed his hold a bit. "What's up? Something wrong?"

Edgeworth opened his mouth, but found that he wasn't entirely sure how to begin putting into words the number of things that were incredibly wrong. His mind had been on fire with unwelcome feelings and disturbing, doubtful certainties all day, and now, faced with a smiling Phoenix Wright, he suddenly found himself at a complete loss for an opening statement.

"I…"Edgeworth paused, coughed, cleared his throat, and then tried again. "Don't you have something you wish to tell me, Phoenix? Something you feel that you need to say?"

Phoenix frowned thoughtfully for a moment.

"Uh," he said, finally, grinning playfully. "Please? Is that what you're looking for?"

He kissed Edgeworth again, his fingers beginning their work on the knot tied in back of Edgeworth's cravat.

"Pretty please," he said, undoing the top button of Edgeworth's vest.

Distracted and confused by Phoenix's touch, Edgeworth found himself almost involuntarily clutching Phoenix closer against him. Releasing Phoenix abruptly, he shook his head and willed himself forcefully to stay on task.

"That…is not precisely what I was looking for," he managed a bit hoarsely, shaking his head and taking several steps away from his amorous lover. "Please, Phoenix, I'm being entirely serious. I would appreciate it if you could make at least an attempt to be serious as well."

Phoenix sighed, and chewed on his lip. "Not 'please?' Okay, uh…let me see. I want you? I need you? Am I getting closer?"

He advanced on Edgeworth, and Edgeworth almost forgot to take a further step back to avoid his embrace.

"I love you," said Phoenix. "Is that it? I love you, Miles. I love you like crazy, and I really, really want to take you to bed. Please."

Edgeworth's mouth went dry.

"How am I doing," asked Phoenix, raising an eyebrow. "Is that what I was supposed to tell you? I thought it made you uncomfortable when I said that mushy stuff, but hey, if you want to hear it more often then you just let me know. That's an easy one. I'll never get tired of saying it."

"I…" Edgeworth felt himself flushing with a combination of irritation, frustration and embarrassed pleasure. "…infuriating."

He turned away, perplexed and trying to quiet his rapidly beating heart.

When he finally turned back to face Phoenix, Phoenix wasn't grinning anymore.

"What is it," he asked, frowning. "What's up, Miles? Something's really wrong, isn't it? What's going on?"

Again, Edgeworth hesitated.

When he'd first started out for the apartment, he'd been determined to confront Phoenix with all that he'd heard outside the office. He'd intended to throw Boston and the betrayal in Phoenix's face, and then to storm permanently out of the apartment with his dignity and pride intact, even if his heart was subsequently broken.

Unfortunately, this was proving to be significantly more difficult than Edgeworth had expected. Staring into the eager, earnest, pink-flushed face of his lover, Edgeworth had a hard time believing that this was even the same man who'd announced his intention of leaving Edgeworth forever only a few hours before.

_This face, _he told himself, _isn't the face of a man with any kind of nefarious or untoward intentions. He acts as though nothing at all is wrong between us, and it genuinely seems as though he has nothing on his mind except, perhaps, for, ah…intimate interaction. He says that he loves me. He's said it several times, now, and despite all my well-founded misgivings, I…I believe him. True, Phoenix has a fertile and an active imagination. He is known for his excellent courtroom bluffs, but in point of fact he's a terrible liar. I never have any trouble seeing through the little games he plays during a trial. There is a contradiction, here, between his behavior, now, and what I am certain I heard earlier outside the office door. _

"Miles?" Phoenix was still frowning. "Hey, earth to Miles!"

_I…suppose it is possible, _thought Edgeworth, _that I may have completely misinterpreted what I heard outside the office. Perhaps he meant none of what he said about moving to Boston. Perhaps it was all just extravagant talk, intended to relieve a troubled mind, but never seriously meant. Perhaps he never really considered leaving at all. Perhaps I have been wracking my brains for no reason. It seems I've been even more of a fool than I previously realized. _

"Miles, you're scaring me," said Phoenix. "What's going on with you?"

"It's…nothing," mumbled Edgeworth, shaking his head. "I…have had a rather stressful and difficult day. Nothing more. Human interaction can be a very trying experience, at times. As we've both discovered quite recently, trying to parse the motives and intentions of an individual can prove extremely complicated."

"Oh, that kind of a day?" Phoenix nodded sympathetically. "I guess you've got a tough case, huh? Yeah, I have the same problem with my clients, sometimes. It's hard to read people. Still, you're the Chief Prosecutor. You're supposed to be pretty good at reading people."

"Indeed," agreed Edgeworth, sighing. "It's a skill that I must, apparently, continue to improve."

"Oh well," said Phoenix. "It's not all bad. I mean, at the end of the day you can always come home to me, and you're always telling me that I'm an open book. Annoyingly transparent, right?"

He leaned in and kissed Edgeworth again, and this time, Edgeworth didn't resist. As the kiss deepened, Phoenix made another eager attempt on Edgeworth's cravat, and then took him by the hand and began leading him back towards the bedroom.

"I'm glad you're home," said Phoenix.

_Yes, _thought Edgeworth, relief slowly and mercifully flooding his mind and body. _Yes, I can see that. _

"I…ahem." Edgeworth started to say it, then stopped and cleared his throat awkwardly, struggling as he always did when he tried to put a torrent of complicated and overwhelming feelings into simple words.

"Hmm?" Phoenix was watching him expectantly.

Edgeworth coughed. "I love you as well," he said, a bit under his breath. "I didn't want you to feel that I was ungrateful, or unresponsive. I-!"

Phoenix pulled the bedroom door shut behind them, and gave Edgeworth an unexpectedly serious look.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I know you do. It's just, uh..."

He paused, chewing on his lip.

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Oh, uh, nothing. Nevermind." Phoenix shook his head, then ran nervous hands through his hair and gave Edgeworth an awkward little smile. "I just...I guess it's nice to hear you say it."

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "I know," he began, "that I am, perhaps, not a very demonstrative man. However, I-!"

Phoenix pulled him close and kissed him intensely. For a moment, Edgeworth forgot to breathe, closing his eyes and letting himself enjoy the warmth of the kiss for the first time that evening.

"You don't have to be demonstrative," Phoenix assured him finally breaking the contact. "You don't have to be anything. Just...just stick with me, Miles, okay?"

Edgeworth opened his mouth to respond, but Phoenix wasn't finished and kissed him again, guiding him gently back towards the bed. Whatever Edgeworth had planned to say was lost in a tide of emotional and physical response, delectable but also disturbing, to which he wasn't sure he'd ever really get accustomed.

**Some short time later...**

Later that evening, Edgeworth woke up from an uncomfortable dream that left an unpleasant, unsettling taste in his mouth, even if he couldn't quite remember the details.

The clock on the wall told him that it was several minutes after midnight. Phoenix was snoring gently into the pillow beside him, one arm thrown haphazardly over Edgeworth's shoulders.

For a long moment, Edgeworth lay silent in the bed, listening to the sounds of Phoenix's breathing and the gentle ticking of the wall clock. Then, as carefully as he could, he disentangled himself from Phoenix's embrace, climbed out of the bed, and strode over to Phoenix's little desk in the far corner of the room.

It wasn't entirely a conscious action, but he couldn't have honestly and conscientiously claimed that it was entirely unconscious, either. Before he was awake enough to stop himself, he found himself opening the top desk drawer and examining the first few papers on the top of the heap.

He wasn't exactly sure what he was expecting to find, and his insides were squirming with disgust as he admonished himself for being cowardly enough to snoop through another man's papers at an unreasonable hour of the morning.

_This isn't an investigation, _he thought. _I'm betraying a trust, and a trust that I value perhaps more highly than that of any other man or woman. This is preposterous and beneath me. I should go back to bed. _

Determined to do just that, he sighed, scowled to himself and placed the papers back on top of the pile in the drawer.

it was only as he bent down to shut the drawer again that he noticed, whether against his will or not, that the paper he'd just replaced appeared to be the printout of a website belonging to a real estate agent named "M. J. Joria" who apparently belonged to the organization known as "Boston's Best Realtors."

Edgeworth's skin went cold again, and he could feel his heart beating a bit faster in his chest, although this time not for any pleasing reasons.

He took the top paper off the stack, and examined the second. This second paper was a list, also clearly printed off the internet of "Fun Things to Do and See in Boston for Adults and Families!"

_No, _thought Edgeworth, shaking his head and pursing his lips. _Ridiculous. I've already determined that Phoenix has no intention of ending the relationship. I cannot allow fancy to get the better of me. This proves nothing._

Nonetheless, that awful feeling of aching dread was creeping its way back into his doubting heart.

Almost frantically, Edgeworth tore off the top sheet again and read the first few lines of the third paper in the pile. This one appeared to be Phoenix's most recent to-do list.

"TO DO," it read. "October 30 - Buy milk. Trucy's homework. Lunch with Maya. Flight arrangements for Boston."

Edgeworth stopped, and his eyes narrowed. "No..."

The list went on. "Dry cleaners," it read. "Call Thalassa. Talk to Trucy, Athena, Apollo about Boston."

A bead of sweat began making its way down the back of Edgeworth's neck. Now, he was fully and completely awake. He flipped the to-do list over and found that the back of the page was inscribed with the following single line;

"TO DO, October 31. Important conversation with Miles."

Edgeworth's heart sank like a lead weight in his chest. He leafed back through the papers, reading each of them in turn, forcing himself to realize what he didn't want to believe.

_Then, _he told himself. _It was true after all. Phoenix really does have every intention of leaving for Boston. The evidence is all here, and evidence cannot lie. Everything I could possibly need to confirm my suspicions is here. No amount of wishful thinking will make this truth go away. He's leaving, and tomorrow, no doubt, this 'important conversation' will mark the end of our relations. I have been reduced to a footnote on a forthcoming to-do list. Were it not so tragic, this might even be amusing. I've always encouraged Phoenix to take more care to be organized. I was the one who first introduced him the startling new concept of the 'to-do list,' in the first place._

Glancing over his shoulder, Edgeworth spent a long moment watching the sleeping form of Phoenix sprawled out peacefully on the bed.

_This evening, _he thought. _All of the things he said were...perhaps only platitudes. I succumbed so readily to his promises, to his affectionate embraces, when all along, no doubt, he was saying those things only in order to seduce me. I allowed myself to be seduced, even though I already had my uncertainties. I wanted to believe in those words of his, but that was ridiculous and illogical, especially considering I already had the evidence of Phoenix's own testimony to disprove the pretty things he said to me. He flattered me for the sake of meeting his own physical needs, while planning, all along, still to deceive me._

Sinking down into Phoenix's desk chair, Edgeworth rested his head in his hands, his face hot and his eyes pricking with terrible, embarrassing tears that he'd never in a million years allow himself to shed, whether in public or in private._  
_

_I truly have been a fool, _he told himself, not for the first time.

This time, however, there wasn't the same dull ache. The anger was very real, very alive, and very painful. It cut like a knife through his pounding chest, drowning out the sounds of Phoenix's breathing and the ticking of the clock with its intensity of feeling.

_Of course, _Edgeworth reminded himself bitterly, _I have known all along. There is nothing permanent in this world. There is no such thing as a future to look forward to. Only fools would fall for such a preposterous pipe-dream. Only fools..._

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **Oof, I'm not even sure what I want to say about this chapter!

I think I'll just let you draw your own conclusions.**  
**

In the meantime, I'm getting immediately to work on the next chapter!


	65. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Twenty Four

**Author's Note: **HOME STRETCH! Can I finish the story today? I bet I can.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Four: Forever – Part Three**

The next morning, Phoenix slept in a little. He finally woke up around eight o'clock, blinked blearily around the room, reached for Edgeworth and found that the other side of the bed was empty.

_Oh, _he thought, gazing at the indentation in the sheets where Edgeworth had slept the night before. _I guess he left for work already. Oh, well. So much for a goodbye kiss._

He yawned, stretched, and threw his legs over the sid_e _of the bed, then stared fixedly at the bedroom door for a moment and took a deep breath.

_Today's the day, _he reminded himself, his insides squirming unpleasantly as he tried to choke down a fit of nervous excitement. _Here goes nothing. Today I'm going to ask Miles to marry me. Maya says there's nothing to worry about, right? Yeah, but when's the last time that Maya came up with a really good idea? Maybe I shouldn't be doing this after all. Oh, man, I really don't feel so good.._

"Daddy?" Trucy was knocking on his bedroom door. "Daddy, I'm leaving for school!"

"Ack," called Phoenix. "Wait! Hold it!"

Jumping out of bed, he threw on a pair of pants and rushed out into the hallway to find Trucy already dressed and ready to go, wearing a black, slightly crooked witch's hat in place of her usual blue silk hat.

"Happy Halloween," she told him, beaming.

"Oh, right," he mumbled. "It's Halloween…I, uh, almost forgot."

_That sort of works, _he thought. _A little bit of healthy terror is a good way to start a Halloween morning, right?_

Trucy frowned. "You're coming to the party tonight, aren't you? Everyone'll be super disappointed if you miss it."

"Don't worry," Phoenix assured her. "I'll be there. Actually, um, I'm having dinner with Miles a little before the party, so…hopefully, if everything goes well, we'll show up together."

Trucy's eyes widened in surprise." You…wait, today? You're asking him today?"

_Yes, _thought Phoenix, _I'm afraid so. Or, uh, maybe I can still chicken out, not ask him today, and wait for a better opportunity, like…tomorrow. _

Trucy threw her arms around her father's neck and gave him a quick, encouraging hug. "Good luck, Daddy," she said. "Don't worry; I'm sure everything's going to be fine!"

Phoenix laughed a little nervously. "That makes one of us," he mumbled.

Trucy bounced excitedly up and down on the balls of her feet."I'm so happy," she gushed. "We're finally going to be a real family; you, me, and Mr. Edgeworth! Oh, but I guess now I have to start calling him 'Daddy' too!"

"Wait," began Phoenix, startled. "But, I'm 'Daddy' I mean, I've always been 'Daddy.' Couldn't we, uh, think of something else to call him?'"

"Nope!" Trucy shook her head, still grinning. "Don't be jealous. You'll always be my favorite second Daddy. Oops, I'm gonna be late! Gotta go! Don't worry!"

With that she turned on her heel and hurried out the apartment door, leaving Phoenix standing alone and shirtless outside his bedroom, trying to come up with any other effectively parental word that they could use for Edgeworth.

_Whatever happened to 'Uncle Edgeworth,' _he wondered. _I liked that one. I mean…I'M Daddy. Oh boy. Maybe this whole 'becoming a family' thing is going to be a little more complicated than I thought. Parenting…will I ever get the hang of it?_

**Several hours later, at the local burger joint…**

Phoenix was seated at a table with a large paper cup full of soda when Edgeworth arrived for their dinner engagement that evening.

"Um…sorry," muttered Phoenix, grinning apologetically. "I know this isn't the classiest restaurant in the world, but it turns out that everything else has been booked solid for months. I even tried calling ahead yesterday for a reservation at a bunch of nicer places, but…apparently Halloween is a really popular date night. Who'd have thought?"

He could hear himself rambling, and knew that he was talking too fast and grinning like an idiot while beads of sweat dripped down the back of his neck and underneath the collar of his best grey suit. Athena had given him a pair of black cat ears to wear on his head in honor of Halloween, and although they'd been fun to wear at the office, at the moment they were just making him feel stupid.

_Keep it together, Phoenix, _he told himself, taking a deep breath. _Don't panic. Remember, you're good at talking. You ask questions for a living. This should be a piece of cake, right?_

Without saying a word, Edgeworth seated himself in the little red, plastic chair across from Phoenix.

Phoenix frowned. Something about Edgeworth just didn't seem quite right.

_Am I crazy, _he asked himself, _or does Miles look a little, um…angry? I mean, it's not like he smiles an awful lot, but somehow I feel like he's scowling even more than usual, today. Nah…it's probably my imagination, or maybe just my nerves getting the better of me._

"Um," asked Phoenix awkwardly, "so…how was work?"

Edgeworth shrugged. "Uneventful."

"Oh, good," replied Phoenix quickly. "Because, I mean, uh, it's Halloween. They say that can be one of the biggest crime nights of the year, so…"

He laughed nervously, but Edgeworth didn't even crack a smile. Now, Phoenix was sure that Edgeworth was gritting his teeth, and he could see the little twitch beginning in Edgeworth's cheek.

_Ack, _he thought, _Miles IS in a bad mood! Oh, crap, this is a really bad time to be asking him to marry me but…gah, if I don't do it now I'm gonna get cold feet and who knows if I'll ever pull it off? I've been psyching myself up for it all day! Sorry, Miles, it's now or never. Hopefully this'll make both our days better…_

"Um, so," he began again, taking a deep breath.

Edgeworth cut him off. "I know why you've asked me to come here today," he said quietly. "There's something you'd like to tell me, is there not?"

Phoenix blinked. "Uh…yes? Wait, you know? How do you know?"

For some reason, Edgeworth's ears turned pink. "That's not important," he muttered, averting his eyes. "What matters is that I'm right. You don't deny that you've something extremely important to discuss with me today."

"I…n-no," replied Phoenix, now really confused. "No, I don't deny it. Why should I? You're right, there's something I kinda really want to talk to you about."

Edgeworth winced, and for just a brief moment a pained look flickered across his face.

"I think," he said a bit hoarsely, "that I was hoping you'd deny it. Not, of course, that there's any real point in your doing so. I have all the evidence I need. I've seen the paperwork in your bedroom. I know what you're planning. Perhaps I was foolishly hoping that you'd find some ridiculous way to prove that I was wrong in my assumptions."

"Wait," began Phoenix hurriedly, "what assumptions? What paperwork? What-?"

_Oh no, _he thought, as realization suddenly dawned. _The marriage license. Where did I put it? I took it out of my pocket when I got home, and I think…yeah, I'm pretty sure I left it on my desk. He must have found it on my desk last night! No, is it still on my desk? GAH!_

Reaching into his pocket, he discovered that the folded marriage license was, indeed, missing.

"Oh…oh no," he muttered, running his hands through his hair. _What the heck am I going to do now? Well…I guess I don't actually need the license to ask him. I just know that Miles like concrete evidence, and paperwork, and…I guess I thought it would help, but-!_

"I am…alarmed and disappointed that you chose to hide this from me for so long," muttered Edgeworth, still not meeting Phoenix's eyes. "I had expected much more and much better from you, Wright."

_But, wait, isn't a marriage proposal supposed to be a surprise? _Phoenix blinked. _And…hold it, what did he just call me? _

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Edgeworth was now glaring at Phoenix expectantly.

"Uh," muttered Phoenix helplessly, "I…well, I'd sorta hoped you' be happy about it, actually. I mean…we'd talked about the future before, so I-!"

"Indeed," interrupted Edgeworth. "I had assumed, based on our previous conversations, that you and I had a similar idea of what our future would hold. It seems that I was gravely mistaken."

Phoenix's heart began beating faster, as the penny finally dropped and he realized with a panicky sort of twist in his chest just exactly what Edgeworth was saying.

"Then," he said, "this…isn't what you want?"

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "I had thought that I'd made my preferences extremely clear. I have never hidden my intentions from you, Wright, and yet now I find that you've been hiding yours from me."

"I wanted to surprise you," mumbled Phoenix, but the words got lost as they left his mouth, and came out in more of a strangled whisper.

"You're determined, then, to take this course of action?" Edgeworth was still scowling, and Phoenix couldn't remember the last time he'd seen a look that dark and ugly on his lover's face.

"I…guess so," muttered Phoenix. "It's what I really want. Miles, it's what I've always wanted. You and me, we just-!"

"I see," interrupted Edgeworth curtly, turning away again. "I'm sorry to hear that."

For a moment, they sat there at opposite ends of the little plastic table in silence while the rest of the burger joint customers milled around and spoke in too-loud voices that somehow Phoenix still couldn't' quite make out. His head was spinning and he wasn't sure exactly what he was supposed to do next. No matter how many times he'd thought about this moment, and no matter how much he'd reminded himself that the worst could happen he'd still never really seriously considered or prepared himself for the fact that Edgeworth might refuse him. It felt sickeningly unreal.

"In that case," continued Edgeworth finally, stern-faced and colder than he'd ever been in recent memory, "I see no reason for us to continue this farce."

"Huh?" Phoenix started. "No, wait."

"I will return to your apartment later this evening to collect my things," continued Edgeworth, getting to his feet. "For courtesy's sake, I shall make every effort to visit while you are not at home. As you plan to be at Prosecutor Gavin's party tonight, we are unlikely to meet each other coming or going. I will leave my key on the ring by the door."

"N-no!" Phoenix got up so quickly that his plastic chair fell over behind him. "You're leaving? You can't leave. Can we talk about this?"

Edgeworth adjusted his cravat and cleared his throat, almost as though he was fighting off some sort of strong emotion, or maybe just a creeping headcold.

"As we are so clearly moving in different directions with our lives, I see no reason to stay and prolong this unpleasantness," he snapped. "I believe that we have both said everything that there is, at this moment, to say."

Phoenix reached out desperately for Edgeworth's hand, but Edgeworth snatched it immediately away.

"Please don't go," begged Phoenix. Please, Miles."

Edgeworth just shook his head. "Why? What reason could there possibly be, now, for me to stay?"

Phoenix made another desperate grab for Edgeworth's arm. Edgeworth shot him one more hollow, miserably blank look and then turned on his heel and left the restaurant.

It was a moment before Phoenix could bring himself to move again.

"M-Miles," he called, jumping up and rushing for the door." Miles, come back!"

When he got out onto the street, however, the crowds had already swallowed Edgeworth up. He was nowhere to be seen.

**Some little time later, at Klavier Gavin's fancy penthouse apartment…**

"Hey, Pearly," asked Maya, frowning around at the various dressed-up party guests all milling around and admiring the stunning and no-doubt extremely expensive Halloween decorations. "Where's Nick? It's getting kinda late, and he said he was going to be here."

Pearl was dressed up like a little angel, with a white dress, cute white heels and a pair of fluffy white wings strung across her back. Maya thought she looked absolutely perfect.

"Um, I haven't seen him," admitted Pearl. "Wasn't he supposed to have dinner with Mr. Edgeworth tonight? Maybe they got stuck in traffic."

_Oh, right, _thought Maya, _tonight's the big night! He was going to pop the question to Mr. Edgeworth tonight! Maybe they aren't coming. I mean, I guess they could have gone off to celebrate somewhere, just the two of them. Yeah, that makes sense, but he should have at least called. I want to know what happened!_

Trucy hurried by in her witch's outfit, holding a heaping plate of finger food in one hand, and a crooked looking wizard's staff in the other.

"Oh, hey Trucy," called Maya. "Are you supposed to be a witch or a wizard?"

Trucy shrugged. "Both? I'm just really magical, I guess."

"Oh." Maya thought about that for a moment. "Well, it works for you! Hey, have you seen your Dad?"

"Huh?" Trucy blinked "Nope, I haven't. He definitely said he was coming, though. He's not here?"

Maya shook her head. "No, I don't think so."

"Oh man." Trucy just rolled her eyes. "I bet he and Mr. Edgeworth are getting all romantic again. You know, it's super hard to get my homework done when they're making all that noise in the next room."

Pearl and Maya both stared at her in stunned surprise for a moment, and then Pearl's face went completely red.

"T-Trucy," she managed, her eyes wide, "a-are you talking about-?"

Before Pearl managed to finish her sentence, the apartment door creaked upon, and they all turned to see Phoenix standing in the doorway.

"Oh no," whispered Pearl. "Mr. Nick…"

Maya bit her lip, hard. Phoenix looked terrible. He was like a broken man, with his shoulders sagging and his smart grey jacket hanging half-off of one arm, like he'd half-shaken it off while running. He had a horrible, defeated look in his eyes that Maya knew all too well from so many desperate and miserable times before.

"Nick," she called, rushing over to him. "Are you okay? What happened? Where's Mr. Edgeworth?"

Phoenix just looked at her for a long moment, then slumped into a chair by the door and buried his face in his hands.

"I don't know,' he mumbled into his palms. "I…I have no idea. Gone, I guess."

Maya, Pearl and Trucy all stood by in shocked silence while the automated Halloween decorations cackled their mechanical little laughs in the background, and the creepy party music continued to play.

**Fin.**

* * *

And that's the end of that episode. I am hoping to be back later tonight with another update, since I have the whole evening off.

I would just like to ask before I head off to the gym that everyone please try to keep their criticism CONSTRUCTIVE! I love to hear your opinions, what you like and what you don't like.

Please, however, don't be rude. That's all. :)


	66. Heel, Face, Turnabout - Epilogue

**Author's Note: **Well folks, here we are at the end of the line. This really is the last chapter of this story. After this, I'll write a few one shots about different characters to close up some holes and to answer some questions we've faced throughout.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the end of **Heel, Face, Turnabout**!

* * *

**Epilogue: Split Screen Sadness**

**December 30, 2029 (two months later)**

**6:00 AM**

**The Wright Family Apartment**

On the morning of the big move, Phoenix woke up slowly from the middle of a deep dream. He yawned, stretched, then turned over and reached out for Edgeworth on the other side of the bed.

Edgeworth, of course, wasn't there. He hadn't been there for two months.

_Oh, _thought Phoenix, as reality kicked in and the last few remnants of the dream dissolved, leaving him alone in a large bed in a dark room, in the early morning, destined for a long trip to an uncertain future.

_Miles, _he thought, gazing at the empty white expanse of pillows and sheets.

Phoenix's new cell phone was sitting on the table next to the bed, and he very briefly considered picking it up and calling Edgeworth just to say good morning, to leave the same melancholy message that he left every single day, telling his former lover to have a nice day, not to forget to eat lunch, and not to overwork.

_Forget it, _he decided. _He probably never gets the messages anyway. I know there's no way he'll pick up the phone. _

Glum and still distracted by lingering feelings from the dream, Phoenix climbed out of bed, found a set of comfortable driving clothes and took himself off to the shower.

After a few minutes he was clean, dressed, and significantly more awake, even if he didn't feel much more alive.

"Truce," he called, walking out into the kitchen. "It's almost time to go. Are you up and packed yet?"

Trucy, however, didn't answer.

Phoenix knocked on her door a few times. "Trucy? Wake up, sleeping beauty. Do you want some breakfast?"

Again, there was no answer.

A little concerned, Phoenix carefully opened the door to Trucy's room.

Her bed was empty, but her suitcase was still there, lying in the middle of the floor.

"What the…?" Phoenix frowned to himself. 'Trucy? Where are you?"

It was then that he noticed the note lying in the center of the bed, scribbled in Trucy's flowery though legible handwriting.

"DADDY," read the note. "BE RIGHT BACK! DON'T WORRY. I WON'T BE LATE! LOVE, TRUCY!"

_Oh boy, _thought Phoenix wearily. _Where the heck did she get to? We've got a plane to catch…_

He was just wondering if maybe he should try calling her cell phone when there was a knock at the front apartment door.

Phoenix strode over to open it, and as soon as they door was partway open, Maya flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding on tight.

"Niiiiiiiiick," she wailed. "You're…you're leaving today! I'm not ready!"

She lifted her face up to him, and Phoenix saw that there really were tearstains all down both of her cheeks.

"Aw, hey, come on," he said soothingly, gently detaching her and giving her his best attempt at a nonchalant, comforting smile. "We've been through this, remember? It's not forever. I'll be back before you know it."

Maya sniffled."Do you promise?"

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "I promise…and hey, tell you what, if you call me every day, I won't even mind."

"You won't yell at me for being too needy?" Maya looked hopeful.

"No," replied Phoenix, not entirely sure if this was a good decision. "I won't. I promise. Just…try not to call me after midnight unless it's a real emergency, okay?"

Before Maya had a chance to answer, they both heard footsteps pounding down the hallway.

"Mr. Wright," panted Athena, appearing around the corner with Apollo in tow. "Oh my god, boss, I overslept! I thought 'd missed you! I was so scared!"

"We ran all the way here," muttered Apollo miserably. "Like…all the way. Non-stop. I'm pretty sure I'm going to die."

"This is a little much," gushed Athena, waving her hands emphatically. "It'll be hard, but I know Trucy's going to take really good care of you, so I'm not too worried."

Phoenix frowned. _Wait…Trucy's going to take care of me? Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? I mean…aw, nah, who am I kidding? She's always been better at looking after me than I've been at looking after her, if we're being honest._

"Hang in there, Mr. Wright," said Apollo, offering a hand. Phoenix took it and shook it warmly, genuinely surprised and pleased at the uncharacteristically friendly gesture.

"We'll make sure nothing explodes while you're gone," Athena assured him. "Polly and I have got this! No problem!"

Apollo made a face. "Uh, yeah, right. Just don't stay away too long, okay, boss?"

Phoenix was genuinely touched. "Thanks, guys," he said, smiling. "I promise, I'll be back soon enough, and you'll probably wish I'd stayed away longer. The two of you won't have any trouble running the agency without me."

"But," insisted Athena, "we'll miss you."

Apollo nodded awkwardly. "Yeah," he mumbled awkwardly.. "Well…you know."

Maya grinned at him. "Aw, Apollo, you can say it. You're going to miss Nick too, right?"

Apollo coughed. "Uh, I don't know," he muttered. "Maybe we'll actually get some work done around the office, for a change."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "Hey, now. I wasn't THAT bad. Right, Athena?"

He turned to Athena for help, but found that she was gazing past him into the empty apartment.

"Wait," she asked, frowning. "Where's Trucy?"

"Huh?" Maya blinked. "Wait, she's not here? Where'd she go?"

Phoenix shrugged. "I have no idea. She left a note saying she'll be back soon. Let's hope 'soon' is before eight o'clock, or we're going to have some explaining to do at the airport."

**Meanwhile, at the Chief Prosecutor's Office…**

As usual, Edgeworth was at work very early that day.

He was bent over his desk, studying a news article about a recently 'solved' murder when he was surprised to hear a soft knock on the office door.

_Who on earth, _he wondered, _would interrupt me at this hour? Surely I am the only person in the Prosecutor's Office at the moment._

"Mr. Edgeworth?" Trucy Wright's voice sounded faintly in the hallway. "Mr. Edgeworth, it's me, Trucy. Um, I see the light on in there, so I know you're working. Please, let me in."

Edgeworth froze.

"Mr. Edgeworth?" Trucy paused, then sighed audibly. "Please? I'm leaving really soon. I have to go and catch a plane, and…I want to say goodbye."

Something in Edgeworth's chest twisted painfully, and he swallowed, took a deep breath, and remained rooted to the spot while he waited.

"I…guess you're not going to let me in," said Trucy sadly after a long moment.

There was the sound of something heavy hitting the ground outside the door.

"I left the math textbooks you let me borrow, " she told him. "They're out here next to your potted plant thing. Um…I don't think I could have gotten into the college I wanted without you. You really helped me get a handle on that 'logic' stuff, and…um, well, I wanted to say thank you. I really appreciate everything you did for us. I know it means a lot to Daddy, too."

Edgeworth flinched at the word 'Daddy,' and tried as hard as he could not to think about Phoenix; to picture the big, eager, goofy grin on his face or to imagine the gentle, endearingly awkward way he'd snored in the middle of the night.

_It's barely six o'clock, _thought Edgeworth before he could stop himself. _No doubt Phoenix is still asleep at the moment…unless he's already on his way to the airport. _

Just as he always did when he failed not to think about Phoenix, Edgeworth felt a little sick to his stomach, and a lump rose up in his throat as his cheek began to twitch.

_Yes, _thought Edgeworth. _He's…leaving today, after all. Perhaps, in the end, it's for the best. I shall never have to face him again. I…shall never have to see him again, at all. Never again._

His heart felt heavy and his mouth was dry.

"I wish you could have been my Daddy, Mr. Edgeworth," said Trucy from outside the office door. "But…even if you won't be my Daddy, I hope you won't forget about us. I know Daddy won't ever forget about you, and…neither will I."

_Please, _thought Edgeworth desperately, staving off a flood of emotion that he'd been forcing down for weeks and weeks. _I beg you, Trucy, to just leave me in peace. Go to your father. He'll be worried about you. I'm sure he has no idea that you've come._

Again, there was silence outside the door for a moment.

"Well…goodbye, Mr. Edgeworth," said Trucy sadly. "Take care of yourself."

Edgeworth waited until he heard Trucy's footsteps fading away down at the other end of the hall. Then he sat back in his chair and sighed.

There was a photograph on his desk that Maya had taken at the Renaissance Festival all those months ago. He, Phoenix and Trucy were all standing side by side in the photo, dressed up in their festival garb. He looked incredibly awkward and uncomfortable, and wasn't even making an attempt to smile. Trucy, on the other hand, was beaming beautifully all over her face, and Phoenix looked radiantly happy. He had one arm around Trucy's shoulders, and the other hand resting on Edgeworth's shoulder.

Closing his eyes, Edgeworth took a few deep breaths and focused on steadying his rapidly beating heart.

Behind him on the sofa, his MP3 player chose that terribly inopportune moment to start playing his least favorite song.

_Wise men say, _crooned the MP3 player, _only fools rush in…but I can't help falling in love with you…_

**Some short time later, in Maya's car…**

Once Trucy arrived back at the apartment, Phoenix bundled all of their things into the back of Maya's car, and they all set out for the Los Angeles airport.

"Trucy," asked Phoenix for the third or fourth time, "where'd you go this morning?"

Trucy just shrugged. "I went to say goodbye to a friend," she said.

That was all she seemed to be willing to say on the subject. Phoenix frowned, wondering what on earth she'd gotten up to. Outside the window, the city he'd spent the last thirty or so years living in sped by and got left behind in the dust of Maya's alarmingly speedy little car.

"Um…hey, Nick," began Maya as they drove away. "Can I…ask you something?"

"Huh?" Phoenix turned to look at her. "Sure. What is it?"

Maya hesitated for a moment, glancing, for some reason, back at Trucy.

"Uh, so," she asked, "have you seen Mr. Edgeworth lately?"

Phoenix had been half-expecting a question like that. "Nope," he said, trying to sound unconcerned while his chest clenched up and he balled his hands into fists in his lap. "I haven't. I tried to call him to say goodbye, but he won't return my calls. Seems like he's pretty much done with me."

"Oh," murmured Maya in a small voice. "That's…that's too bad."

Apparently feeling uncomfortable, she suddenly turned up the radio, and some top-forty pop started playing at a slightly unreasonable volume.

Maya turned her eyes back to the road, and Phoenix sat back in his seat, idly turning the black and gold ring over and over on his finger as they sped forward onto the highway.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

Yes. Yes I did.

PLEASE DON'T HURT ME.

*runs away*

Goodnight, folks! Thanks for reading!


	67. Apollo and Athena Give a Talk

**Constructive Criticism 101 – With Apollo and Athena!**

ATHENA: Good morning, everyone!

APOLLO: Or, good evening to those of you live in a totally different time zone.

ATHENA: Um, right! Good morning and good evening! But, anyway, I have some good news for you this morning!

APOLLO: Oh, goody.

ATHENA: There's going to be a THIRD PART to this story! You know that ending that you all read last night, the really sad ending to "Heel, Face, Turnabout?"

APOLLO: Yep. That was…not a lot of fun.

ATHENA: Well, obviously there's going to be a sequel! I mean, Ari's been saying all along that this series was going to be a trilogy! That's three stories! That means that there's going to be another story, and maybe this one will have a happy ending! Maybe Mr. Edgewroth and Mr. Wright will get back together! Maybe they'll fall in love all over again! Maybe-!"

APOLLO: Hey, let's not get carried away. You haven't read it yet, so you have no idea how it ends.

ATHENA: I know, I know, but I'm optimistic!

APOLLO: Yeah, I get that.

ATHENA: Anyway, Ari wanted to be here herself to tell you all about it, but…

APOLLO: But what?

ATHENA: Well, when she woke up this morning she found so many horrible mean, flaming, verbally abusive reviews in her inbox that she got kind of sad and went off to work without writing anything.

APOLLO: Oh. Ouch.

ATHENA: Yeah, I think she was really hurt by that. I know I'd be hurt!

APOLLO: So…wait, is she really that sensitive? I mean, does she just get upset every time someone doesn't like something she writes?

ATHENA; Uh, NO! Constructive criticism is always great!

APOLLO: Constructive what?

ATHENA: Look, let me show you something. Let's see if we can figure out what constructive criticism means. I'll make a comment about the story, and you tell me if it's constructive or not.

APOLLO: O…kay.

ATHENA: Whoo hoo! Okay, here we go. Um, "Hey, Ari. I notice that you use the character Godot a lot. I feel like his characterization is just a little off. Some of the things he says don't quite sound right, and I think you're overusing the coffee metaphors just a little bit. I just wanted to share my opinion with you. Thanks, and have a nice day!

APOLLO: That sounds kind of harsh.

ATHENA: Nope! That's a constructive comment! See, that comment was polite, nicely-worded, and it gave a helpful suggestion! Ari loves to hear helpful suggestions, because that way she can learn to be a better writer. Constructive comments like that one are always awesome!

APOLLO: Oh, okay. I guess that makes sense.

ATHENA: Right? Of course it does. Okay, Pollo, now you try one.,

APOLLO: Uh, okay. Ahem. "This story really sucks. It's shitty and the ending was just plain bad. You obviously didn't put aNy real work into it and didn't care about it all. Whatever, this was a waste of my time."

ATHENA: Yikes, Pollo! That was awful! Why would you say something like that?

APOLLO: What? Hey, don't look at me, I'm just reading the script!

ATHENA: That was NOT a constructive comment. That was just hurtful and mean! That's what we call a 'flame,' or just plain 'being incredibly rude.' There was nothing helpful, encouraging or even remotely polite about that post, and you would be really upset if someone left a comment like that on your story!

APOLLO: Yeah, definitely.

ATHENA: Huh, and you know what? It's funny, but almost all of those negative flamey comments are ANONYMOUS. I wonder why? Maybe people are ashamed to leave their name on a comment like that.

APOLLO: You know, if you're ashamed to show your face or leave your name, it probably means you know you're doing something wrong.

ATHENA: Nobody should be leaving comments like that on anyone's story, not just Ari's. It's…really just a terrible idea. If you don't like a story, just don't read it!

APOLLO: Nobody's forcing you. I mean, you're able to use the internet, right? That means you've got some basic fine motor skills. You can turn the computer off whenever you want. You don't have to read the story if you don't want to.

ATHENA: So, it's almost time for us to go, because we've got a client meeting in fifteen minutes-

APOLLO: What? When did that happen? Ack!

ATHENA: But we just wanted to say two more quick things. First of all, thank you to everyone who has been kind enough to review, to leave helpful, constructive comments, even when you don't like something! We love you, so please keep doing exactly what you're doing!

APOLLO: Good for you guys.

ATHENA: But for the people who are leaving flaming, angry, miserable comments…please go away. We're not interested in your opinion if you can't behave like an adult, own your comments, sign your work and use your nice, big boy and big girl words. Oki-doki?

APOLLO: You…really don't want to see Athena when she's mad. It's terrifying, trust me. Just back away slowly and leave the flaming rude comments at home.

ATHENA: Thanks for listening, everybody! Hopefully Ari will come back in a few days and write the next part of the "To Turnabout Eternally" story! We'll see you then!

APOLLO: Yeah, see you. So…Athena, who's this client?

ATHENA: Huh? Oh, there isn't one. I just said that so that we could leave. Come on, Pollo, let's go.

APOLLO: Ugh…fine.

**Fin.**

* * *

**I encourage you all to please make good choices when using the internet. Anonymity is not an excuse to be cruel. See you next week. **


	68. A Time for Turnabout - Prologue

**Author's Note: **Having promised you another installment, I shall try my best to deliver it.

* * *

**FIFTH STORY: **

**A Time for Turnabout**

**By Ari Moriarty**

* * *

**Prologue: This Don't Feel Like Home Anymore**

**October 31, 2030**

**7:00 PM**

**The Los Angeles Airport**

It was a dark and stormy night when Phoenix got off the plane that evening, a little later than he'd expected. There had been a delay due to some engine trouble back in Boston, and the flight arrived almost forty minutes behind schedule.

_Just my luck, _thought Phoenix, hurrying as fast as he could past the long lines at airport Starbucks shops and heading for the baggage claim. _Larry's probably losing it as we speak. Seems like every time he asks me for help these days, I manage to let him down. At least this time it really wasn't my fault. _

He sped through the baggage claim, rushed out onto the street and flagged down a taxi before the sharp-faced woman behind him could claim it as her own.

"Hey," he told the driver, flashing him a harried sort of half-smile and handing him a folded piece of paper. "Do you know where this address is? I'm…kinda in a hurry."

The taxi driver raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I can see that, but it's Halloween night. Wherever you're going tonight, we're not going there too fast. Gotta go slow and watch out for creepy little kids running into the middle of the street. This pal of mine, last year he almost hit a little fairy princess. It was terrible."

"Right," muttered Phoenix resignedly. "Sure. We wouldn't want that."

He thought of his own little girl, Trucy, who really wasn't that little anymore. When she'd been eight years old, she'd turned up her nose at the fairy princess costumes that the other little girls at her school had worn. She'd settled for her first father's magic hat, and she'd used a big piece of painted fabric for a spooky black cloak with bats on it. Phoenix and Trucy had painted those bats together, and it had taken hours.

_Trucy's almost twenty now, _thought Phoenix, shaking his head in disbelief. _No more trick-or-treat costumes for her, I guess. Parenting…did I ever get the hang of it? _

They drove at what felt like a snail's pace through the streets of Los Angeles, and Phoenix could see that the trick-or-treaters really were out in force this year, even though it was raining cats and dogs.

"Hey, pal," asked the taxi driver, "you ever been to this address before?"

"Huh?" Phoenix blinked. "Uh, no, sorry. It's my friend's new place. He and his wife just moved in a few weeks ago. "

_Don't say 'pal,' _thought Phoenix. _That's someone else's endearing character trait. _

"So," asked the taxi driver, "do you want me to take seventh street, or main?"

Phoenix shrugged. "I don't know. Whichever you think is best."

The driver sighed. "You're not from around here, huh?"

Phoenix paused for a moment before answering that, listening to the sound of the rain pelting the windshield and the children screeching.

"No," he admitted finally. "Not anymore."

"Oh." The taxi driver shrugged. "Guess it's just my imagination. See, I thought you looked kinda familiar."

They drove on for a while, turning down streets and around corners, avoiding very wet witches, warlocks, princesses and zombie knights until they finally arrived outside a very impressive and swanky looking apartment building.

"This here's a new place," the taxi driver informed Phoenix. "Your friend must be a pretty lucky guy to get digs like this."

Phoenix grimaced ruefully. "I wouldn't exactly describe Larry as 'lucky.' Still, you're right. Looks like a nice place. Thanks for the ride."

He paid the driver, hopped out of the taxi, grabbed both of his suitcases and made a dash for the front door.

He rode the elevator up to the second floor, and headed down the hallway towards room 212.

_Hang in there, Larry, _he thought. _I'm coming. Better late than never, right?_

When he arrived at the apartment, however, he was surprised to find that the door was already hanging wide open.

_Maybe he left it open for me, _thought Phoenix, even as the warning bells began to sound in his head and he clenched his knuckles around his suitcase handles and braced for foul play.

"Larry," he called, setting his suitcases down outside the door and stepping hesitantly into the darkened apartment. "Larry, it's Nick! Sorry, my flight got delayed. There was…engine trouble, or something."

There was no response from inside the apartment.

Phoenix sighed.

"Hey, Larry? Are you here?"

Groping around on the wall for the light switch, he finally found it and flipped the lights on.

As soon as he did so, he saw the body of the beautiful, barely dressed blond woman lying in the middle of the floor. There was a gunshot wound in the back of her left shoulder blade, and blood was pooled all over the floor around her.

"Oh boy," sighed Phoenix, too tired even to convince himself that he was surprised.

_When the Butz calls you out of the blue and begs you for help, _he thought unhappily, _something's bound to start smelling sooner or later…_

Even before he'd finished the thought, Phoenix heard the sound of footsteps pounding up the stairs outside in the hallway. Taking a deep breath, he turned around to find several uniformed police officers all making a bee-line straight for him, looking grim and serious, most of them armed.

"Hey," asked the first one in a loud, aggressive sort of monotone. "This is the Butz apartment, right?"

Phoenix nodded. "Yep. I'm afraid so."

"We got a phone call just a few minutes ago," said another officer. "Apparently somebody down the hall heard what sounded like a woman screaming. You know anything about that?"

For a moment, Phoenix considered his options. Then, by way of explanation, he stepped out of the way, revealing the dead body to the police.

"What the…?" The first officer looked horrified.

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "That's pretty much what thought when I saw her."

For a moment, the police officers stared at the body. Then they all glanced around and stared at each other.

"All right," muttered the first police officer, stepping forward and taking Phoenix firmly by the arm. Somehow, he managed to look even more grim than he had before. "Mr. Larry Butz, I think you're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent."

Phoenix didn't struggle, and held out his wrists complacently as the second officer produced a pair of handcuffs.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I probably will, except…let's get one thing straight. I'm not Larry Butz. My name is Phoenix Wright."

"Oh, yeah?" The police officer didn't look impressed. "Sure, okay. Well, Mr. Phoenix Wright, do you want to call a lawyer, or something? Looks like you're gonna need one."

Phoenix just shrugged and shook his head.

"No thanks," he told them as they led him out of the apartment and back towards the elevator. "I think I'll be okay."

**The next morning, in the Chief Prosecutor's office…**

Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth scowled at the email he'd just received from Prosecutor Gavin.

_Have been throwing up all morning, _read the email. _Achtung; it's pretty nasty in here. Sorry, sir, but I don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell that I'm getting out of bed and dragging myself in, today. Knock 'em guilty for me. _

Edgeworth sighed.

_If that young man wasn't such a talented prosecutor, _he thought, _he'd soon find himself out of a promising career. No doubt Gavin is very serious about his work, but he's equally serious about his play…I assume that his fit of inopportune vomiting has something, if not everything to do with the fact that last night was Halloween night. His Halloween parties are notoriously extravagant. Most likely he drank himself senseless with those 'former bandmates' of his…again. _

Resignedly, Edgeworth glanced up at the clock. It was already almost nine thirty, and the trial that Gavin was supposed to be prosecuting was slated to begin at ten o'clock in courtroom number five.

_I don't have much time, _thought Edgeworth unhappily. _I would much prefer to be better prepared, but it seems that won't be possible. _

Without even stopping to read it, he grabbed the case report off his desk that Gumshoe seemed to have left there either earlier that morning, or the evening before. Then he straightened his cravat, took a quick breath, and strode out of the office and down the hall towards the elevator.

Five minutes later, he threw open the double doors of the courtroom, nodded curtly at the judge, and took his place behind the prosecutor's bench.

"Ah, Mr. Edgeworth," said the judge, sounding extremely surprised. "We…hadn't expected to see you, today. Wasn't Mr. Gavin supposed to appear in this trial?"

"I'm afraid that Prosecutor Gavin has taken ill," muttered Edgeworth.

"Well," sighed the judge, "this might prove to be a, um, very interesting day, after all."

Edgeworth was too busy glancing over the case report to waste time wondering about that comment.

_Death was caused by a gunshot wound to the back, and occurred between the hours of six and seven in the evening on October the thirty first, _he read, nodding to himself. _The victim's name was Roxy Ramone. What? No…that surely can't be a real name. _

"Mr. Edgeworth," repeated the judge. "Is the prosecution ready?"

"Yes, Your Honor" muttered Edgeworth, still not looking up from the case report, and not feeling even remotely ready. "Certainly, I 'm prepared."

"And," continued the judge, "the defense? Is the defense ready?"

"Yes, Your Honor," said someone from the other end of the room. "The defense is ready."

Edgeworth froze.

_That voice, _he thought, a horrible little chill of excited dread suddenly racing through his veins.

Glancing quickly up at last, he looked across the room and straight into the eyes of Phoenix Wright.

Phoenix smiled grimly at him. "Hello, Miles."

"Ah," managed Edgeworth, rooted to the spot and temporarily at a loss for words. "W-Wright…you're-?"

"In that case," announced the judge, glancing nervously back and forth between them both, "since we are, apparently, all ready, let's, um…let's call the first witness, shall we?"

For a long moment, neither Phoenix nor Edgeworth moved even an inch.

"Of course, Your Honor," muttered Edgeworth dazedly, still unable to tear his eyes away from Phoenix's. His heart was now pounding at an alarming rate in his chest. It was making him light-headed, and suddenly the courtroom felt a lot smaller, a lot more crowded, and as though it completely lacked appropriate amounts of oxygen. Edgeworth found himself fighting the barely controllable urge to throw himself from the bench and to run from the room, while Phoenix's eyes continued to bore into him, piercing, beautiful, and horribly, horribly calm.

"Well," asked Phoenix, raising an eyebrow. "I haven't been to a trial in almost a year, Miles, but if I remember the way these things go, then you have to make the first move. Call your first witness."

Edgeworth swallowed hard.

"Y-yes," he mumbled. "Certainly. The prosecution would like to call, ah…"

Quickly, he consulted his case report again.

"I would like," he began again, doing his best to keep his voice firm, commanding, and unwavering, "to call Detective Dick Gumshoe to the stand."

**Fin.**


	69. A Time for Turnabout - One

**Author's Note: **Please bear with me. This week will consist of a series of all-nighters as I try to finish almost forty assessment portfolios for work during my few free evening hours. Rehearsals for Christmas Carol are now in full swing, almost every night. The insomnia is getting very bad.

Please be patient and gentle with poor Ari for the next few days. She is fragile and liable to inexplicably and irrationally burst into stress-tears at a moment's notice. Don't worry; this is just a typical October/November. We shall overcome. However, you may find more typos in this document than usual, and I may be a little less pleasant in my manner than I usually make efforts to be.

Your patience and compassion are appreciated. And now, on to the story.

* * *

**Chapter One: I Don't Feel the Pain I Once Did**

**November 1, 2030**

**10:08 AM**

**Courtroom No. 5**

Detective Dick Gumshoe stood on the witness stand and glanced nervously back and forth between Edgeworth and Phoenix, neither of whom seemed to be paying him any attention. They still had their eyes locked on each other.

"Uh," muttered Gumshoe, scratching uncomfortably at the top of his head, "H-hey, pals. This is…awkward."

Suddenly, Phoenix looked up at him.

"Oh, Detective Gumshoe," he asked casually. "You just reminded me of something. Do you by any chance have a cousin, or a sibling or something who drives a taxi cab?"

"Huh?" Gumshoe blinked. "Nope. I'm my mom's only kid. Why?"

Phoenix just shrugged. "No reason. Forget about it."

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "Detective. Your testimony, if you please."

"R-right, sure thing." Gumshoe nodded hurriedly, shot one quick, desperate look at the judge, then sighed, shuffled his feet a little, and began his account in a reluctant sort of voice.

"Uh, well, we got this phone call last night around seven o'clock. The lady who called said she'd heard some screaming from the apartment next door, and she wanted us to check it out."

Edgeworth risked a surreptitious look over at Phoenix, who was drumming his fingers idly on the bench, apparently listening to Gumshoe with rapt but unconcerned attention.

_Preposterous, _thought Edgeworth, gritting his teeth. _How can he possibly display such ludicrous nonchalance at a moment like this? I suppose it's true that he's been on trial for murder more than once in an eventful lifetime, and yet surely even he must recognize the danger that he's in. Even the great Phoenix Wright couldn't turn up his nose at the chance of an execution. His irrational calm is infuriating. Perhaps it's all an act, carefully calculated just to annoy me._

"And," continued Gumshoe, "when we got there, we found the victim, Ms. Roxy Ramone, lying dead on the floor with a gunshot wound in her back. She'd only been dead for maybe an hour, tops, and it figures that Mr. Wright was standing there gawking at her when my guys showed up."

"Tell us more," muttered Edgeworth, almost automatically and without much thought, "about the victim, Ms. Ramone."

_He doesn't even look at me, _thought Edgeworth, trying and failing to catch Phoenix's eye. _It's as if he is completely oblivious to my presence in this courtroom. As the attorney for the defense, he should be watching my every move, judging my every reaction and using each flicker of my eyelid and twitch of my finger to discern my weaknesses and to prepare a better strategy. He always behaves that way. It's a well-known facet of his particular skill. Why, then, does he act as though I am nothing more than an irrelevant bit of background noise?_

Edgeworth could feel the sweat beginning to pool on the back of his neck, and his teeth started to ache from being ground together so hard.

"Oh, yeah," said Gumshoe, suddenly perking up a little bit. "Yeah, that's a good point, Mr. Edgeworth. Um, Ms. Ramone was a dancer at this club in the city. Weirdly enough, it's the same club where that guy Harry Butz's wife works. Small world, I guess, huh, pal?"

"Yes," muttered Edgeworth absently. "A small world indeed…."

For a moment, he fell silent, still focused on Phoenix.

The judge cleared his throat.

"Ah, well then, if the Detective has finished with his testimony, the defense may begin it's cross examination."

Phoenix nodded. "Thank you, Your Honor."

Edgeworth felt his cheek beginning to twitch, and he scowled and hunched over the bench, trying to get a hold of himself.

_Pull yourself together Miles Edgeworth, _he thought miserably. _This is hardly the time. Why, why did it have to be HIM?_

"Detective," Phoenix was saying, frowning thoughtfully at Gumshoe. "You said that a woman called the crime in at around seven o'clock, right?"

Gumshoe nodded. "Yeah, that's right, pal."

Phoenix shrugged "Aren't you being a little vague? Who exactly was this mysterious woman?"

"Huh? How should I know?" Gumshoe shook his head. "I mean, I figure she must have the next door neighbor, right? She said there were screams coming from 'the apartment next door,' so…"

"That's not exactly conclusive, Detective." Phoenix pointed an accusatory finger at him. "Did you make any effort to find out who the mystery caller really was? Did she really hear those screams, or did she just pretend to hear them in order to draw your attention to the crime scene?"

"Uh…" Gumshoe scratched at his chin. "Well, I mean…sure, I guess that's possible. It's not like there's any real way for us to find out, or nothing, unless we go around asking all the neighbors of they heard anything. Guess we could try something like that…"

Edgeworth slammed both hands down on the bench top, perhaps more aggressively than was really necessary.

"The identity of the caller is irrelevant," he muttered. "We have no reason whatsoever to believe that this woman had anything to do with the crime. The only concrete truth that the good Detective has laid before this court is that when his men arrived at the apartment, they found Mr. Phoenix Wright, the defendant, standing over the body. His attempts to deflect attention from himself and onto the innocent woman who reported the crime are only indicative of his guilty conscience. He's grasping at straws in an effort to mislead the court into believing that there is a second suspect, which would convolute an otherwise extremely straightforward case."

Unexpectedly, Phoenix raised an eyebrow at smiled. "You're slipping, Miles. "It's not like you to refuse to even consider a piece of what might be important evidence. The mystery caller is a key player in this little crime drama, and you know it."

Edgeworth glowered at him.

Phoenix just continued to smile. "Something bothering you, Miles? You're looking a little pale, actually."

"I…I'm perfectly fine," spluttered Edgeworth, enraged and somehow gutted at the same time by Phoenix's casual, taunting dismissal of his obvious discomfort.

"Hey, pal," suggested Gumshoe from the witness stand. "Lay off Mr. Edgeworth, will ya? Poor guy didn't even know you were gonna be here. This wasn't even supposed to be his case. Looks like Mr. Gavin got sick, or something, so Mr. Edgeworth only read the case report a few minutes ago."

"Detective," hissed Edgeworth warningly. "That's quite enough."

Hesitantly, he glanced back over at Phoenix, who had stopped smiling, and was now staring at Edgeworth with his mouth half-open in surprise.

"Wait…seriously?" He bit his lip. "You didn't know?"

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "There was a last minute substitution," he explained as nonchalantly as he could. "Prosecutor Gavin was unable to be in court today. Subsequently, I took his place. I don't see why it's important. It changes absolutely nothing."

"I don't know about that," returned Phoenix. "I mean…no wonder you're a little off of your game. This must have been a pretty big, uh, surprise."

He gave Edgeworth a totally different, softer kind of smile, and this time there was horrible, sickeningly sincere pity in his eyes.

Edgeworth gripped hard at the edges of the bench and bit back a tide of miserable, angry feeling.

"As I've already told you," he said with what sounded remarkably like calm composure, "I am perfectly fine. You needn't concern yourself."

"Your cheek," accused Phoenix, pointing at Edgeworth's face. "It's doing that thing."

Edgeworth scowled. "My cheek does not do a 'thing.'"

"It does," retorted Phoenix. "It twitches. There, just like that."

Forcing his face to keep steady and still, Edgeworth again slammed both fists down on the bench top.

"Stop changing the subject," he commanded. "Phoenix Wright, the only 'key player' in this simple and sordid murder case is you. You will explain to this court exactly what it was that you were doing at the Butz residence at eight o'clock last evening, immediately."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow, glanced up at the judge, and then shrugged. "Oh, yeah? I will? Does that mean you're calling me as your next witness?"

"I…ahem, yes." Edgeworth took a slow breath to try and steady himself. "I believe the court would be very interested to hear your testimony."

"Uh, right, but…" Phoenix frowned. "Wait, can you even call the defense as a witness for the prosecution? Is that allowed?"

Both Phoenix and Edgeworth looked up at the judge, who mused for a moment, then shrugged and nodded.

"I'll allow it," he said. "That is, assuming that Mr. Wright is willing to testify?"

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "Sure, why not? Uh, does this mean I have to cross-examine myself?"

"I," decided Edgeworth, "will be asking the questions, Wright."

The judge sighed, almost happily.

"This is a terrible thing to say," he announced, "but honestly, you two, I've really missed this. As I've always said, no trial featuring the two of you is ever boring.

Edgeworth rolled his eyes. Across the room, he could see Phoenix doing the same.

For just a moment, their eyes met, and Edgeworth's heart suddenly and painfully thumped against the walls of his chest as Phoenix unexpectedly flashed him one of his familiar, conspiratorially silly smiles.

"I don't suppose," mused the judge, "that there is much point in giving the prosecution time to prepare the witness."

Phoenix shook his head. "Nope. Let's just get this over with."

Getting up from behind the defense's bench, he crossed over to stand behind the witness stand.

"Okay, Miles," he said. "Let's have it. What do you want to know?"

Edgeworth quickly consulted the case report in an attempt to make sure that he wasn't about to walk into a trap, or a mess that he wouldn't be able to extricate himself from.

"Please," he said, once he'd assured himself that there was nothing in the case report which would help him. "Tell his court what you were doing at Larry Butz's house on the evening of the murder."

"Sure thing." Phoenix nodded, then turned to address the courtroom.

"Yesterday," he began, "I got an email from Larry asking me to come back to LA in a hurry. He said he was in trouble, that it was an emergency, and that he needed my help pretty badly."

"And…this email," asked Edgeworth. "Do you still have it?"

"On me? No." Phoenix shrugged. "I was in the detention center all night, remember? I haven't even unpacked my luggage, yet. Still, if somebody would lend me a cell phone…"

The judge reached into the pocket of his robes, retrieved his cell phone and handed it to Phoenix. After several long and tense moments of fiddling and fidgeting with the keys, Phoenix eventually nodded in satisfaction and handed the phone back to the judge.

"That's the email from Larry," he said. "You're looking at my email inbox, right now."

"Your Honor," suggested Edgeworth. "Perhaps you would care to read this email out loud, for the court's benefit?"

The judge nodded, looking slightly thrilled.

"Ahem," he began, peering down at the phone screen. "Dear Nick. OMG, srsly so bad. Need your help. He's gonna kill me if u don't do sumthin. Pleez, pleez, pleez. Man, I need u. Don't u dare let me down again, buddy. Remember, yo, u owe me!

Best,

Larry

P.S.; Jelly says 'hey bae.'"

Apparently finished reading, the judge raised an eyebrow, cast one last, long and dubious look at the phone, and then sighed.

"The court accepts this…bizarrely phrased email into evidence," he announced.

Edgeworth snorted. "Most of that email wasn't even composed in English," he told Phoenix. "From what little I could discern, it did appear, however, to be a cry for help of some kind."

"Yeah," agreed Phoenix. "And since I really did let him down the last time he needed me, I figured there was no way I could refuse. I spent way too much money on a last-minute flight out of Boston, and showed up at the apartment around eight o'clock."

Edgeworth nodded. "And that," he said, "is, allegedly, where you found the body?"

"Yeah," said Phoenix. "The door to the apartment was already open when I got there. I had a bad feeling about that, so I went in and turned on the lights. Ms. Ramone was lying dead on the floor with the gunshot wound in her back. Maybe half a minute later, the police showed up, and you've already got the rest on record."

He rocked back on his heels, shoved his hands into his pockets, and then turned expectantly to Edgeworth.

"How'd I do," he asked. "Did that help fill in the gaps at all?"

_He's mocking me, _thought Edgeworth, although he wasn't at all sure that he saw any mockery or malice in Phoenix's eyes, and for some reason that wasn't particularly soothing.

"Unfortunately, it does not," retorted Edgeworth. "As a matter of fact, it does not help either of us in any way. All your statement has so far proven is that you had a reason to be in Mr. Butz's home on the evening of the murder, assuming that the email you've presented to this court is not, in fact, a fabrication."

Phoenix looked started, and then narrowed his eyes. "Hey," he muttered. "That's…that's kind of a low blow, don't you think? Wouldn't have expected that from you, Miles…or at least, not from the Miles Edgeworth that I thought I knew."

"It is not a blow of a kind," replied Edgeworth coolly. "It is simply a statement of possibility. Defense attorneys and prosecutors alike have fabricated evidence before now, and will do so again. You yourself have-!"

"Stop it," snapped Phoenix, suddenly looking very grim. "I won't take this from you."

"You are, after all," continued Edgeworth bitterly, "not exactly what one would consider a 'man of your word.' You're very good at bluffing, Phoenix Wright. You're quite convincingly sincere, when you choose to be. Some of us have experienced your particular skill at deception first-hand."

"Oh my," murmured the judge. "Ah…M-Mr. Edgeworth…?"

"I never lied to you," said Phoenix, looking Edgeworth straight in the eye. "Not once. I promise you."

Edgeworth winced. "Please," he muttered, averting his eyes. "Spare the good people of this court your meaningless platitudes."

"Miles," began Phoenix, half-angry and half-cajolingly. Edgeworth tried to tune him out, aware that he'd let himself get carried away, ashamed by just how much Phoenix's very presence in the room was preventing him from staying on task.

_This is inexcusable, _he told himself. _This is a court of law, not a sordid soap opera. These private grievances have no business airing themselves here in this public forum of justice._

And yet, he reminded himself, as Phoenix continued to glare beseechingly at the back of his head, _it has been almost a year since I have seen the man who reminded me that love is a purely selfish emotion. It's no surprise, then, that I struggle, now, to choke down the bile that has been building for many restless months. _

"Miles," repeated Phoenix.

"You may address me," returned Edgeworth quietly "as Mr. Edgeworth, or, if you prefer, as Chief Prosecutor. I have no particular preference as to which you choose."

Phoenix winced, opened his mouth to protest, and then swallowed, shut his mouth, and just shook his head.

For a long, extremely tense moment, the courtroom was completely silent.

"A-ahem," mumbled the judge awkwardly. "Perhaps, under the circumstances, it would be better if we adjourned this court until tomorrow, when, god willing, Mr. Gavin will be able to be with us again. I…ah…yes, I think so. The trial of Mr. Phoenix Wright will be adjourned until this time tomorrow morning. Bailiff?"

The judge banged his gavel down hard on the bench in front of him.

People in the gallery began getting to their feet, standing up and making a dash for the exit.

The bailiff lingered by Phoenix's elbow, prepared to escort him back to the detention center.

Phoenix, however, didn't move.

Neither did Edgeworth.

For a long time, they simply stood, not exactly watching each other, somehow speaking volumes and yet avoiding conversations with their eyes.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hmm. That got very intense. Perhaps that's where we'll stop for today.

I do have a quick question.

I read all of your comments very thoroughly and carefully. After the end of the last story, I got the sense that no one would be particularly interested in reading about Phoenix's life in Boston or his exploits after moving there.

Now, however, I've received a couple of requests from some wonderful readers, asking to see some scenes from Boston (which would be, according to the dates on this fic, a little less than a year ago.)

Would you be interested in reading some flashback stories, or perhaps a side fic based on Phoenix's year in Boston? Please, let me know if that would appeal to you.

Oh, oh, and I owe a credit, here. The last line of the story was inspired by a comment that **Hinata Snow the First** made on one of my chapters.


	70. A Time for Turnabout - Two

**Author's Note: **I've had a horrible day. Let's hope this chapter isn't equally horrible. I…honestly make you no promises.

Thank you to everyone who responded to my question about Boston. Since some of you seem interested, I'll be providing some flashback stories from Phoenix's Boston days to fill in the gaps. I'm even looking forward to it.

If you're not interested in reading the flashbacks, you're always welcome to skip over them to the next chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Two: I No Longer Feel Such a Shame**

**November 1, 2030**

**1:00 PM**

**The Detention Center**

After the trial, Phoenix was escorted back to his cell in the detention center. Once there, he settled himself in on the edge of the weirdly damp cot that the city had provided, and stared across at the graffiti and various etchings left on the cell wall, left presumably by former detention center residents.

_Oh boy, _he thought, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. _It sure has been an interesting day already. I mean, you know, aside from the fact that I've been accused of murder…again. _

Despite the fact that he really should have been focused on tomorrow's upcoming murder trial, all Phoenix seemed to be able to think about was Miles Edgeworth.

He thought back to the beginning of the rather short-lived trial, and remembered the terrible little jolt he'd received when he'd looked up and seen Edgeworth entering the courtroom.

_Talk about a weird coincidence, _he thought. _I mean, what are the odds that Gavin would get sick today? Honestly, it didn't even occur to me that Miles would have been at the trial. Miles never actually goes to trials, anymore. He spends most of his time being stuffy and stiff in his office, going over case reports and writing harsh performance emails. Apparently one of the big perks of being Chief Prosecutor is that the Chief Prosecutor doesn't have to actually interact with other people, most of the time._

There had been something strange and uncomfortably dreamlike about watching Edgeworth take his place behind the prosecutor's bench. Edgeworth had been, of course, wearing the exact same well-pressed, perfectly pristine suit that he always wore. Phoenix had always thought that those ruffles and frills would have looked girly on anybody else, but that somehow Edgeworth, and only Edgeworth could pull off wearing them while still managing to look like a pretty damn good specimen of a man. His hair had been perfect, as always, without a single strand out of place, and he'd been brooding out of those dark eyes, hiding behind the silver spectacles that Phoenix wasn't entirely sure he really needed for anything other than cosmetic purposes.

_Yeah, _mused Phoenix thoughtfully. _I mean, for a guy who spends most of his time shut up in his office hiding from the light of day, he still looks pretty good. Actually…he looks really good._

For a long, guilty moment, Phoenix dreamily allowed himself to appreciate Miles Edgeworth's elegant figure and the way he managed to always make a striking entrance into the courtroom, even before he'd said a single word.

Then Phoenix shook himself, frowned, and took another sharp breath.

_Wait, hold it, _he thought. _What am I doing? I'm not supposed to be thinking about this. That was all over ages ago. I've moved on. I've been over him for months. Snap out of it, Phoenix! Don't get yourself all worked up. There's no way you're putting yourself through all of that, again. _

Still, he realized, it had been a lot harder to face Edgeworth than he'd expected.

At first, Phoenix had found he couldn't even look Edgeworth straight in the eye. Every time he tried, he'd found himself staring, feeling awkward, uncomfortable and somehow unable to come up with anything particularly clever to say. All of his arguments suddenly sounded stupid in his head, and he'd ended up unable to look at Edgeworth at all for at least the first few minutes of the trial. He'd felt like an embarrassed schoolboy, and that had been an almost exciting, if slightly shameful feeling.

It wasn't until they'd really begun to argue in earnest that Phoenix had managed to forget about Edgeworth long enough to make a real case for himself. Once Edgeworth had forced him to really get on the defensive, they'd spent a few minutes verbally sparring and throwing accusations back and forth. Phoenix had done his best to focus on the case, and not on the fact that he couldn't help but remember what really, really nice hands the prosecution had.

_And, _realized Phoenix, _I guess I got carried away, but I, uh…I sorta liked it. I mean, sure, it was terrifying to be fighting for my life, again, and I'd forgotten how annoying Miles can be when he acts like the scales of justice are shoved halfway up his ass, but… I mean, he and I haven't gone head-to-head like that since the old days. I haven't taken him on in a courtroom for more than a year, now. I gotta admit, I felt pretty good about getting him all riled up. Really…it was kind of fun. Sure, it would have been a lot more fun if I wasn't the one on trial for murder, but…anyway, it wasn't as awful as I'd expected. _

Feeling a number of complex and confusing things all at the same time, Phoenix sat for a few minutes just trying to make sense of his own internal monologue. He felt strange, but not exactly sad. Well...maybe just a little bit sad.

_Nostalgic, maybe, is the word I'm looking for, _he thought, _I guess __that maybe getting over someone is a multi-step process. My name is Phoenix Wright, and I have a Miles Edgeworth problem…_

Eventually the cell door creaked open, and the guard peeked his head in around the door.

"Uh," he asked, "Mr. Wright?"

"Oh," replied Phoenix, nodding. "Hey, Teddy. Something I can do for you? Let me guess; they've found somebody else to pin the crime on, and they've decided to let me go free."

The guard named Teddy winced. "N-no, sir. Um, s-sorry about that."

Phoenix sighed, then gave the guard a rueful little smile. "Yeah, I didn't think so. It was just a joke. So, what do you-?"

The guard gestured vaguely at the doorway behind him. "There's someone here to see you," he explained quickly. "Uh, it's Miss Ma-!"

"NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK!" Suddenly, Maya came barreling around the corner. She collided with the guard, who winced and took a step back.

"Oh," said Phoenix. "Hey, Maya. Look, I'm sorry about this. I was, uh, planning to call you when I got back from Larry's, but-!"

"What? Why are you sorry?" Maya glared at him. "Detective Gumshoe called me and told me all about it! Are you okay? What happened? You must be freaking out right now!"

Phoenix shrugged. "I…uh, honestly, Maya, not really. I'm…pretty sure I can get out of this. I mean, the only piece of evidence against me is that I happened to be near the body when the police found it. That's not exactly conclusive. I'll probably be fine."

Maya blinked. "I…well, yeah, I guess that's true. Wow, Nick, you're awfully cool about this. Maybe it just hasn't hit you, yet. You know, the fact that they're going to KILL YOU if you get a 'Guilty' verdict, and all."

"I know that," returned Phoenix. "It's just…I don't think they're going to find me guilty."

"There's a first time for everything," retorted Maya. "I mean, I know you're an ace attorney, and all, but don't you think that maybe you're being just a little too optimistic about this? Don't get cocky, Nick!"

"You'll never guess who's prosecuting," interrupted Phoenix.

"Um…Simon?" Maya frowned. "No, wait…you don't mean-?"

"Yep," said Phoenix. "Yeah, Edgeworth's working on this trial."

Maya gasped. "Oh no. Nick, that's TERRIBLE. Why are you smiling? Did you hit your head or something? Wait, have you eaten anything? Are you delirious? Help, guard! The prisoner needs a cheeseburger, stat!"

Phoenix reached out and put a quelling hand on Maya's shoulder. "I'm not delirious. Why are you so upset?"

Maya just stared at him for a minute. "Because," she said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Mr. Edgeworth's a really good prosecutor."

"Right," agreed Phoenix, nodding.

"And," continued Maya, "you and he, uh, didn't exactly end things on the best of terms."

Phoenix sighed, again feeling a painful little twinge of something that wasn't quite sadness. "Yeah…yeah, you could say that."

"And," Maya went on, "you haven't seen him lately. Ever since you went to Boston, he's been super scary! I don't think he's lost a case in a whole year! He gets this dark, super scowl-y look in his eyes, and he's really mean when he goes after a defendant. He's like a totally different person than he was before No, wait, um, maybe he's actually the same person that he was a long, long time ago, like, before Gourd Lake, only...worse, this time. He shows no mercy. Apollo and Athena have been trying really hard to avoid him. Do you know what they call him, now?"

"Uh," suggested Phoenix, "the Demon Prosecutor?"

Maya shook her head emphatically. "Nope! Not anymore! He's even more terrifying and vicious now than he back then!He's not the 'Demon Prosecutor' anymore, he's the 'Satanic Posecutor!"

Phoenix frowned. "Aren't those…basically the same thing?"

Maya glared at him. "No! 'The Satanic Prosecutor' is much worse! It's like, he's graduated from being a demon, and now he's the leader of all the demons!" Lowering her voice to a conspiratorial little whisper, she added, "and you know, some people say that Mr. Edgeworth's about to go in for the kill, his eyes glow red..."

Phoenix frowned, thinking about the slightly stunned look that had been plastered to Edgeworth's face during that morning's trial.

"I don't know about that," he muttered. "His eyes sure weren't glowing this morning."

Maya ignored him. "Anyway," she insisted, "now would be a really good time to start panicking! Come on, we have to think of some kind of super fool-proof strategy to get you out of here! I'm ready to listen! What have you got?"

She looked at him expectantly but Phoenix somehow still couldn't bring himself to really get worried.

"Honestly, Maya," he insisted soothingly. "I...really think that everything's going to be fine."

**Some time later, also at the Detention Center...**

Later that night, when he was certain that he was unlikely to run into any other visitors, Edgeworth sat down in front of the clear glass window in the Detention Center visitor's room.

_I will remain perfectly calm, _he reminded himself as he waited for the guard to retrieve the prisoner. _We will not, under any circumstances, have a repeat performance of this morning. I am in excellent control. _

After what felt like a very long and tense few moments, Phoenix appeared and took his seat on the other side of the window.

"Oh," he said, smiling. "Hey, Miles. I was hoping you'd come."

Edgeworth's heart did an ugly little somersault in his chest.

"It's been a while," continued Phoenix into the laden, awkward silence. "You look good. Doing well?"

"I..." Edgeworth stopped, swallowed, and then tried again. "Yes. I'm...in good health, thank you," he muttered, thrown off by Phoenix's perversely casual tone.

"Great." Phoenix nodded." That's good to hear."

For a long few moments, neither of them said a word.

"Y-yes," Edgeworth mumbled, coughing a little to try and hide his confusion. "Well, I…I suppose that I owe you something of an apology for what took place in the courtroom this morning."

"Oh?" Phoenix raised an eyebrow.

_I cannot understand, _thought Edgeworth miserably, _how he can be so perfectly calm. Am I truly the only one tormented? I suppose I should have expected as much. I have been yet even more of a fool to assume that my presence would cause him any pain. He made it clear long ago that he lost all interest in me._

"I…behaved very badly," managed Edgeworth, forcing himself to remain as calm as he could, shoving his disappointment deep, deep down into the roiling depths of his soul. "A court of law is no place for the airing of personal grievances. Please, forgive me for allowing my baser emotions to get the better of my judgment."

Phoenix just smiled and nodded. "Yeah, well," he said, shrugging, "It's not all on 's no point in denying that we've got a history. It wasn't an ideal situation for you, and besides, I didn't exactly make it any easier. I was maybe a little insensitive, but…honestly, it's been so long since I've been in a courtroom that I started getting into the argument. I got carried away. I guess I'm just as guilty as you are, in this case."

Phoenix flashed an apologetic little smile, and Edgeworth felt his insides twist horribly in the face of Phoenix's almost criminal nonchalance.

"I…shall make sure to assign a new prosecutor to your case," mumbled Edgeworth, suddenly desperate to be anywhere but in the small, suffocatingly intimate visitor's room. "Simon Blackquill will, no doubt, be available to assist. I…wish you all the best of success, of course. Good evening, Wright."

He got hurriedly to his feet and began to turn away, but before he'd had a chance to make a dignified bolt towards the door, Phoenix called out behind him.

"Miles," said Phoenix. "Don't do that. Please."

Slowly, Edgeworth turned back around. "Do not do what?"

"Don't ask Blackquill to take over." Phoenix shook his head. "Look, I know that this is a lot to ask, but I need you to be the prosecutor at this trial."

The words "I need you," echoed mercilessly around in Edgeworth's head, taunting him. Edgeworth winced and caught his breath, unable to tear his eyes away from Phoenix's face. "But…why? I do not understand. Surely you-!"

"Do you think I killed that woman?" Phoenix was frowning now. "Miss. Ramone, I mean. Do you really think I killed her?"

Edgeworth opened his mouth, closed it, sighed and shook his head.

"No," he admitted." No, I do not. The suggestion is a preposterous one. You are not…a murderer."

_That is not to say, _he thought bitterly, _that you are an entirely blameless man. You have committed other, more subtle _crimes_ with a smile upon your face. _

Phoenix nodded. "I knew you'd say that. You're a fair man, Miles Edgeworth. That's why I need you take the case. No matter what, you'd never be willing to let an innocent man be convicted of a murder he didn't commit. I know that I can count on you to figure out the truth. You're probably the best prosecutor I've ever seen."

Edgeworth cleared his throat and averted his eyes. "You flatter me," he mumbled, "and yet, my outburst of this morning proves that my sober judgment can hardly be relied upon in this matter."

Phoenix just shrugged. "I trust you," he said.

Even as he said the word 'trust,' Phoenix glanced down at his hand, resting on the little ledge just in front of the visitor's window. Edgeworth looked down at the hand as well, and was startled to see a familiar, black and gold gentleman's ring settled on Phoenix's fourth finger.

"I…ah," muttered Edgeworth helplessly, his blood running cold and his face going warm at the same time as he stared at the ring. "I am…surprised that you still wear it."

Phoenix held the ring up to the light and examined it thoughtfully for a moment.

"It's a reminder," he said, "that there are still some people out there I can trust. I know I can trust you, Miles, and I know that you're going to get the right verdict at this trial, whatever that turns out to be. I'm not worried about it."

For a moment, Edgeworth was at a complete, helpless loss for words.

"Will you do it?" Phoenix was still grinning. "Will you be my prosecutor?"

"I…" mumbled Edgeworth. "I…suppose it is my duty, yes. I see…no particular reason to refuse you."

He was having a hard time taking his eyes off of the ring, and his head was now so scrambled and confused by a series of conflicting emotions and incomprehensibly mixed signals that he was starting to feel slightly nauseous. Realizing that he desperately needed to be out of this room, Edgeworth again turned on his heel, and again found himself recalled by the sound of Phoenix's voice.

"Wait," called Phoenix. "Look, there's one more thing I want to tell you."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Why," asked Phoenix, "do you think I came back to LA?"

_What is this, twenty questions? _Edgeworth darted a desperate glance at the door. _This is intolerable..._

"If I am to take your story of this morning at face value," he muttered, "then I assume you returned to help Larry out of whatever mess you believed him to be in when you received his ridiculous email."

Phoenix nodded. "Yeah," he agreed, "that's definitely part of it, but...there's another reason."

Refusing to rise to the bait, Edgeworth stood and waited impatiently for Phoenix to finish the thought.

"Actually," continued Phoenix, "I came back partly because there was something I wanted to talk to you about, Miles. Something I wanted to ask you, really."

Edgeworth stared. "You came back...to speak to me?"

"Yeah." Phoenix nodded. "I think maybe there are some things we should talk about."

Swallowing hard, Edgeworth found that he could no longer tear his eyes away from Phoenix's face. "And...what is it that you wish to talk about?"

"Can't you guess?" Phoenix almost smiled. "Well, I guess it should wait until after the trial. We've both got a few other things to worry about, at the moment."

Edgeworth opened his mouth to protest.

_I will not play th_ese _mind games, _he thought. _I will not permit you to tease me any longer. __Whatever it is you wish to sa_y to me, _you can say it now just as well as later. _

"Wright," he began, but before he could finish the thought, the door opened on the other side of the glass window, and the guard came into the room._  
_

"Uh, sorry, Mr. Wright," he said apologetically, "but time's up. Visiting hours are over."

"Oh. Got it." Without looking even remotely put out, Phoenix got up from his seat. "Sorry, Miles. Like I said...it can wait. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

"Ngh," mumbled Edgeworth, frustrated. "V-very well, then."

As Phoenix turned to leave the room and returned to his cell, he flashed Edgeworth a quick, appreciative little smile.

"Thanks for doing this," he said. "And, thanks for coming. I guess it wasn't easy. Night."

Long after Phoenix had left, Edgeworth sat in the little visitor's chair and brooded to himself about the incomprehensible encounter they'd just had.

_What could he possibly want to ask me? Surely there is nothing left that to be said between us. __What could he want with me after all this time?_

He tried not to get excited, and not to let his imagination get the better of him.

Hope, however, is an insidious thing. Edgeworth could already feel himself beginning to feel it flooding through him, against his better and more sober judgment.

Disgusted with himself and somehow dangerously happy at the same time, he turned away and left the room.

**Fin.**

* * *

And...I discovered in the middle of writing this chapter that I am REALLY sick.

Lovely.

Please forgive the terrible typos. I...really say that far too much, don't I? Perhaps I should stop asking for your forgiveness and just improve. **  
**


	71. FLASHBACK - Part One

**Author's Note: **As promised. You can skip over this if you're really not interested, but I wouldn't. It's actually quite important to the overall story, and it'll help you understand a bit more about the weirdness going on in Phoenix and Edgeworth's relationship, at the moment.

**FLASHBACK: Just an Old Fashioned Turnabout – Part One**

**February 14, 2030 (nine months ago)**

**9:00 PM**

**Boston, MA**

**The Blue Dahlia Club**

The infamous Boston Blue Dahlia club was always busy on a Saturday night, and tonight was no exception.

Phoenix had never been sure why exactly the place was so popular.

_The food here is terrible, _he thought, _although, at least it's not too expensive. The décor is cheap and gaudy, and this place is way out in the middle of some next-to-nowhere back street, but somehow, people just keep coming back for more. _

Glancing over his shoulder, he watched Trucy twirling happily around on the stage, her favorite blue cape flowing out behind her as she danced a waltz with Mr. Hat, apparently totally oblivious to the influx of club patrons.

_Well, _he thought, grinning at her, _at least the entertainment's good. That's something. Maybe everybody just keeps coming back to see Trucy. The club owner sure does always seem pretty eager to have her back. If we're lucky and play our cards right, this might turn into a weekly engagement. I guess we could use the money. I…guess that's kind of my fault, though._

He glanced ruefully over at the piano, aware that at the moment he wasn't exactly earning what meager pay the Blue Dahlia club provided him. Getting up from his seat, he stretched, yawned, and then wandered over to the piano, seating himself on the bench and resting his hands lightly on the keys, chewing on his lip as he mused to himself and tried to figure out what to play.

_At least, _he thought, _at a lousy, second-rate club, nobody expects anything better than a lousy,_ _second-rate piano player. When it comes to entertainment, Trucy and I aren't even really in the same league._

Idly, he played a couple of chords, and then launched into one of the only presentable songs he'd ever bothered to teach himself.

_Look into my eyes, _he hummed to himself as he played_, and you will see…what you mean to me…_

It wasn't even a song that he really liked. It was sappy and romantic to a fault, and for some reason everyone seemed to want to play it for the first dance at their wedding.

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix, a little sadly. _Yeah, I guess it is a wedding song…maybe if I keep at it, I can get a gig playing at weddings._

He snorted a derisive little laugh to himself, closing his eyes and trying not to let himself take that familiar, unpleasant walk down memory lane. At the end of that walk, he always got mentally mugged and ended up aching and miserable in a proverbial ditch, crying out for the only man with whom he'd ever wanted to dance to a wedding song; any wedding song.

_Snap out of it, Phoenix, _he reminded himself. _Let's not start doing this again._

He sighed, suddenly feeling tired.

_The show's going to start soon, _he reminded himself. _Maybe if I hurry I can go wheedle a drink out of the bartender before it's time for Trucy to go on. How much have I got on me? Five dollars? Six dollars…? _

Frowning, he stopped playin_g _and reached into his pocket, searching for a few dollar bills.

"Oh, no," gasped a squeaky, unfamiliar voice from somewhere just behind him. "Please, don't stop! I just LOOOOOVE that song!"

"Huh?" Phoenix turned around to find an attractive young woman beaming at him out of big, blue eyes. She had long, red ringlet curls, and was wearing a half-sheer, low-cut top that couldn't help but draw the eye.

_Sheesh, _thought Phoenix, slightly embarrassed. _How could her parents let her out of the house, dressed like that?_

"Uh, sorry," he muttered, giving her an awkward little smile. "I'm not much of a piano player. I was probably just butchering the song, anyway."

The girl just shook her head at him, and those way-too-pert little red curls bounced all over her forehead. "Oh, it doesn't matter. I don't really know what's good and what's not. I mean, I don't have a good ear for musi_c, _or anything, so I just like everything. I think it's easier that way. Anyway, I don't think you're so bad."

"Thanks," said Phoenix, hazarding a smile. "You'rea nice kid."

"You," returned the girl, pointing an accusing finger at him, "are Phoenix Wright, aren't you? I mean, aren't you? I've seen you before! You're in my 'Legal Giants 101' textbook!"

Phoenix blinked. "I…am? Are they teaching law in the high schools, now?"

For a moment, the girl stared at him, pursed her pretty little lips into a frown, and then suddenly burst out laughing just a bit too loudly.

"Oh," she gasped, "I get it! You're so funny! Are you trying to flatter me?"

_What? _Phoenix blinked. _Uh, no, not really._

"I'm not in high school," she informed him, still wagging that perfectly manicured finger. "I'm a law student at Boston Legal! I've heard sooooo many stories about you. You'rekind of like one of my heroes! Oh, but I bet you get that all the time, right?"

"Uh," replied Phoenix, "n-no, I can't say that I do. I mean, unless you count Trucy. She calls me her hero sometimes, now that I think about it. Still, I'm very-!"

"Trucy?" The girl frowned. "Is that your girlfriend?"

"What? No!" Phoenix frantically waved his hands in front of his face. "No, Trucy's my daughter. She's doing a magic show, tonight. Actually, um, I'm sure she could use some help, so I should probably go check on her and make sure she's got everything all set up."

He turned quickly around to face the stage, only to find that Trucy was in the midst of what looked like a very animated conversation with a young man in a black t-shirt. He said something, and she laughed, then shook her head and reached into her hat to pull out the emergency deck of cards she usually kept there. Fanning out the cards, she held them out and let the man in the t-shirt choose one.

_Who's that guy? _Phoenix frowned. _A friend from school, maybe_? _I can't keep track of all Trucy's friends…_

"She looks fineto me," remarked the red-haired girl, smiling at Trucy. "I don't think she needs any help."

"Yeah_," _muttered Phoenix unhappily. "Yeah, you might be right about that."

The girl nodded. "Oh, good. I'm glad you don't have to go. I'm sooooo excited that I finally get to talk to you! What a coincidence, meeting here of all places, right?"

Phoenix sighed.

"I'm Kitty," she said, offering her hand. "Kitty Comfort."

_I'm sure her name's actually something like 'Kate' or 'Karen,' _thought Phoenix, shaking the hand carefully before releasing it again.

"Nice to meet you, Kitty," said Phoenix, unsure of what else to say. "I'm Phoenix."

Kitty giggled. "I know that, remember? You're so funny!"

She turned back to the piano.

"Please," she asked, "will you play me another song? "

"I…don't actually know that many more songs," admitted Phoenix.

Kitty frowned and thought about that for a moment. "Oh," she said. "Well, can you play me that one song again? You didn't finish it the first time. I like the really dramatic part at the end! Can you play that part for me?"

"I'd rather not. Sorry." Phoenix shook his head. "I, uh…look, I don't even really like that song. I'm not sure why I started playing it in the first place. Maybe because it's pretty much the only song I know, but…"

He stopped and trailed off, and Kitty continued to watch him expectantly.

"But," she asked, "what?"

Phoenix cleared his throat uncomfortably. "It brings back some bad memories, that's all. Or…no, maybe that's not true. Maybe it brings back some good memories. I think the good memories are worse."

Furrowing her brow, Kitty thought about that for a moment, apparently quite hard. Phoenix could almost see the gears turning in her head.

"I don't get it," she admitted after a moment. "Why would good memories be bad?"

Phoenix gave her a rueful smile. "You've never been in love, have you?"

"Me? Um…no, I don't think so." Kitty shrugged.

Phoenix just nodded. "Yeah, well, you look like you're still pretty young, but someday maybe you'll know what I'm talking about. I…honestly hope not, though. It's not a very nice feeling."

"Everyone always says," remarked Kitty dreamily, "that's love is a wonderful feeling! It makes your insides all full of butterflies, and it's like a beautiful daydream that's with you all the time, when you're awake and when you're asleep! That's what all the love songs say, anyway."

_All the love songs, _thought Phoenix, _are going to lead you astray. There's a contradiction between your little romantic fantasy and the way things are in real life._

Phoenix remembered Athena sayin_g _pretty much the same thing to him at some point, and he imagined the enraptured look on her face as she'd insisted that love must be the greatest and most wonderful experience in the world.

Suddenly, thinking of Athena made Phoenix a little bit homesick. He thought about Maya's cheery smile, and about Detective Gumshoe's dirty old coat. He wondered about how Pearl's college applications were going, and about whether or not Apollo was working himself too hard.

In the midst of all of those pleasant memories, he thought about someone else, too; someone in a maroon suit with a grimace on his face, waiting impatiently outside of a shiny orange sportscar in the fading evening light.

"Miles," sighed Phoenix, wondering why everything, no matter what, always seemed to come back to Edgeworth sooner or later.

"Huh?" Kitty looked confused. "Who's Miles?"

Phoenix swallowed hard. "It doesn't matter anymore," he insisted. "Forget it. Uh…look, sorry, Kitty, but I'm probably not a lot of fun to be around, right now. I'm not going to be very good company. You should go and-!"

"Is it because of the good memories?" Kitty was frowning, too, now. "Is that why you're not having fun?"

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _That's definitely one way of putting it._

"You know," suggested Kitty, "I have an idea for you. I think you should go try and make some new memories. Then you won't have to think about the old ones anymore, and you won't be so sad. It's Saturday night! No one should be sad on a Saturday!"

She flashed him another, really very pretty little smile, and Phoenix found that he couldn't come up with a good response to her comment.

"Uh," he managed.

Luckily for him, at that moment the lights in the club began to dim.

"Oh," whispered Kitty, "good, the show's starting! I bet your daughter's going to be great! Are you excited?"

She settled in on the chair that Phoenix had just vacated, only a foot or so from the piano bench, apparently totally unaware of how uncomfortable she was making him feel.

As Trucy took the stage and waved to the audience, Phoenix turned and gave her his full attention.

"Hello everyone," she called, beaming around the darkened room. "Thank you so much for having me here, today! Are you all ready to believe in magic?"

The crowd gave her a token round of lukewarm applause, but Trucy didn't bat an eyelash.

"For my first trick," she announced, "I'd like to introduce you to the Amazing Mr. Hat!"

Phoenix had seen this trick a hundred times. As Mr. Hat emerged and took a bow, Phoenix found his mind wandering back to what Kitty had just said.

_Making new memories, huh? _He shook his head. _Somehow, I just don't think it's that easy. Sure you can always make new memories, but the new ones never replace the old ones. I'll never be able to replace Miles with anything new. Or, then again, maybe I'm just not trying hard enough. Maybe I don't really want to. _

**Fin. **


	72. A Time for Turnabout - Three

**Author's Note: **Welp, I'm now so sick that my partner Dag has insisted that I not leave my bed. I suppose I have no choice but to sit here quietly and write fan fiction all day.

I will, of course, pretend that I am asleep. If I type quietly enough, he'll never catch me.

* * *

**Chapter Three: This Ain't No Time for Regret – Part One**

**November 2, 2030**

**2:00 AM**

**The Edgeworth Residence**

That night, Edgeworth couldn't sleep.

_This isn't good, _he thought, glaring at the clock on the bedside table as it reminded him just how late it already was. _Yesterday, I was far from at my best. The body and mind both require rest to perform at their highest level. I will need to be at my best for the trial tomorrow. I have, after all, made…a commitment. _

He thought yet again, just as he had several times already that evening, about the last thing that Phoenix had said to him before the guard had rudely interrupted them.

_He returned, it seems, to speak to me. No, that's not quite right. He wished to ask me something. After all this time, what could Phoenix Wright possibly want to ask me? _

This was not, of course, the first time that Phoenix had asked for something similar. Edgeworth could remember at least two other times in which Phoenix had insisted that 'when it was all over,' there was something they needed to talk about.

_Most recently, _he thought, _Phoenix insisted that we wait until after the Bleek case had been closed. He said that 'once it was all over,' we would discuss the possibility of…our future._

That wasn't a pleasant memory, and Edgeworth closed his eyes and tried not to ask himself the same questions that he'd been asking ever since Phoenix had left.

_Why, _he wondered, _when the time came to discuss such things had he so drastically changed his opinion on the subject? I don't think that I will ever understand, and yet I'm certain I'll be haunted by that question, always. It's infuriating. No…that's not quite the word. _

Outside, it was a cloudy night. The moon wasn't visibly shining, and the sounds of street traffic had all died away hours ago. Edgeworth felt very alone with his miserable thoughts.

_The very first time Phoenix told me we needed to talk 'once it was all over,' was shortly after I had been accused of the murder of that perverted journalist, Myriam Scuttlebutt, _Edgeworth reminded himself. _At that time, he wished me to come back to him. He begged to consider rekindling the...ah, intimacy that we had begun earlier that year. He told me adamantly and repeatedly that he was 'serious' about attaching himself to me, even after the injury and public humiliation that he'd suffered on my behalf. _

Again, Edgeworth sighed.

_What could have happened? The human heart is a_ _fickle thing. I believed so many of his assurances. I seem unable to let go, now. Perhaps it would be better if I could bring myself to be more like him…less constant in my affections. _

He closed his eyes, lay back on the bed, and willed himself to turn off his brain. His thoughts had now traveled down this same road so many times that there was nothing valuable left to derive from the recollections.

_The definition of insanity, _he told himself, _involves the doing of the same task over and over again, ad infinitum, and yet expecting a different result. Yet…despite that, I cannot help wondering; is it possible that now, after almost a year, Phoenix wishes to ask me the same question? Could it be that he plans to beg me to take him back? It's preposterous to imagine such things, and yet…it would fit the pattern. _

Something, maybe an owl or maybe a car horn, hooted loudly from the street outside. Beside Edgeworth, the clock continued to tick its way towards the morning.

Somewhere in the depths of him, the little, insidious flame of hope flared up again, and his heart began to beat a bit faster.

He didn't trust it. He didn't like it. At the same time, he found himself unable to extinguish it.

He burned with it, still wide awake, until his alarm finally sounded hours later.

**Later that morning, in Courtroom No. 5…**

"Court is now in session for the trial of Phoenix Wright," announced the bailiff from the front of the courtroom. "All rise."

Everyone dutifully got to their feet as the judge slowly ascended to his bench.

"Oh…Mr. Edgeworth." The judge gave Edgeworth a slightly worried look. "Honestly, I wasn't expecting to see you here, today. I take it that Mr. Gavin is still too sick to join us?"  
From his place behind the prosecution's bench, Edgeworth cleared his throat.

"Upon reflection, Your Honor," he announced, "I have decided that it would be best for me to continue to prosecute this trial. As I was present during all of yesterday's proceedings, it seems only logical that I should see the trial to its end."

The judge frowned. "Oh, well. That's…very reasonable, of course."

Edgeworth gave the judge a short little bow.

From behind the defense's bench, Phoenix tried to catch Edgeworth's eye. When he finally did manage to get Edgeworth's attention, he gave him a quick, appreciative smile.

Edgeworth flinched and immediately averted his eyes. That insistent little pain stabbed through Phoenix's chest again, and he frowned and turned his attention back to the judge.

_Actually, _thought Phoenix, _now that I think about it, Miles doesn't look so good. I think those dark circles under his eyes are even larger than usual. Rough night, maybe?_

"If we are all prepared, Your Honor _," _began Edgeworth, carefully laying his notes out in front of him, "would again like to call Detective Dick Gumshoe to the stand, to share with the court some of the more recent discoveries that we have made regarding this case."

The judge nodded. "Very well. Bailiff, please go and find the Detective."

It took a few minutes for the bailiff to locate Detective Gumshoe.

"Uh, sorry, Your Honor," mumbled Gumshoe as he finally made his way up to the witness stand. "I was using the little boy's room."

Edgeworth frowned. "We have absolutely no interest in your bodily functions, Detective. Please, tell the court what you learned during yesterday's investigation."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, right. Sure thing, Mr. Edgeworth." Straightening himself up a bit, Detective Gumshoe unexpectedly glanced over at Phoenix and gave him a bright little nod. Then he turned and looked out at the gallery.

"Well, I have good news, everybody," he began. "I got a call from Mr. Edgeworth around nine o'clock last night. He told me to go over to the airport and ask a few questions about Mr. Wright's flight from Boston. Two of the flight attendants on the place remember watching Mr. Wright get on, and another one remembers serving him peanuts at some point during the trip, so we can say for sure that he was definitely on the plane."

"Oh…well, that's good," murmured the judge, still looking slightly confused. "But, um, Mr. Edgeworth, I don't quite see-?"

"Hey, wait a second, Your Honor," interrupted Gumshoe. "I was just getting to the good part. The flight that Mr. Wright was on was a little late getting into Los Angeles. It was supposed to arrive at 5:50 PM, but because of some engine trouble or something, it didn't actually land until 6:20."

Reaching into his large, grubby coat pocket, Gumshoe pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, and then turned and handed it to the judge.

"That's a map," he explained, "of the route from the airport to the apartment building where Larry Butz lives. See, it's kind of a long way to go. It takes about thirty-five minutes, give or take to drive from the airport to the apartment building, so Mr. Wright would have had to arrive around 6:55 PM. The murder can't have taken place any later than 7:00, which makes it really, really unlikely that Mr. Wright had time to kill Ms. Ramone. I mean, we're not accounting for traffic lights, or the amount of time it'd take for him to ride up in the elevator. There's almost no way it could have happened."

Again, Gumshoe grinned at Phoenix. "I knew all along this was some kind of misunderstanding, pal. Sorry about all the trouble, but…you know, just doing my job."

"Very interesting," murmured the judge. "The court accepts this map into evidence. It seems, based on what I've just heard, that Mr. Wright could not possibly have committed this crime in the time allotted."

Phoenix nodded, and then let out a little sigh of relief. _Just like I thought, _he told himself. _Nothing to worry about at all. No sweat. _

It was only when he looked over at Edgeworth that Phoenix realized something wasn't quite right.

"Objection," muttered Edgeworth, slamming both fists down on the bench and shaking his head. "The prosecution submits that those five free minutes between 6:55 and 7:00 are crucial. Although unlikely, it is within the realm of possibility that Mr. Wright may have committed the murder during that time."

Gumshoe's jaw dropped. "H-hey, hang on, Mr. Edgeworth. I mean…it was Halloween night, remember? Traffic was going really slow that night, just like it always does. He couldn't possibly have made it in time; not even with the fastest cabbie in the world."

"I am not interested in your assumptions, Detective," snapped Edgeworth. "This court has no time for wishful thinking and conjecture. I require irrefutable proof, as does His Honor and this entire courtroom, I'm sure."

For a long moment, Gumshoe just stared at Edgeworth. Then, he dropped his eyes and scratched uncomfortably at the back of his neck.

"You sure you want to prosecute this case, pal?" He sighed. "Look…I get it, I really do, but being vindictive's not gonna solve anything."

Edgeworth scowled. "I have no idea what you are implying, Detective. If you have something you wish to say…"

"N-now, now, gentleman," interjected the judge hurriedly. "Please, let's stick to the trial at hand? We can sort out our personal grievances later. Please?"

Edgeworth fell silent and gave Gumshoe a stony look.

"Yes," he muttered. "Of course, Your Honor. Forgive my outburst."

_No, _thought Phoenix. _That's not it, Gumshoe. Miles isn't being vindictive. He's just exploring every possibility. If the judge passes down a 'Not Guilty' verdict now, then even if I go free, we'll never really solve the case. We'll never know who killed Roxy Ramone. That's not good enough. Miles doesn't like to leave things unfinished…and neither do I._

"The defense agrees that the evidence of the flight records isn't conclusive," announced Phoenix. "I'm not convinced that the defendant couldn't have committed the crime."

Both Gumshoe and the judge turned to gape at Phoenix.  
"Wha…WHAT?" Gumshoe blinked. "What the hell are you talking about, pal? You ARE the defendant."

Phoenix just shrugged. "We have to prove my innocence beyond a shadow of a doubt, right? So…let's keep going. What's next?"

He shot a glance at Edgeworth, who raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise.

_I already told you, _thought Phoenix. _I trust you. Do what you have to do. _

"Y-yes, well," muttered Edgeworth, clearing his throat and returning his attention to Gumshoe. "In that case, Detective, please continue with your testimony.

Gumshoe looked back and forth from Edgeworth to Phoenix, frowned, and scratched at the back of his head in confusion.

"I feel like I'm out of the loop, here," he mumbled. "Is something going on between you two?"

Edgeworth glared. "I asked you for your testimony, Detective!"

Gumshoe flinched. "Right, okay. You don't have to shout at me. Uh…where was I? Oh, right. So…"

He pulled a second crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket, consulted it, and then shoved it back in.

"So," he repeated, "after I checked stuff out at the airport, I went over to Larry Butz's apartment building, where the body was found. Mr. Edgeworth wanted me to figure out who the woman was that called the police to report the murder. I figured that'd be almost impossible, but you know what? I found out something weird."

He paused for dramatic effect. Behind him, the judge cleared his throat.

"Yes, Detective? Please don't keep us in suspense. What 'weird' thing did you discover at the crime scene?"

Gumshoe nodded. "I found out," he informed the court, "that Mr. Butz doesn't have any female neighbors. Weird, right? The people who live on either side of his apartment are guys."

The judge's eyes widened." Oh, really? But…in that case, then who was the woman who made the phone call?"

"Uh…well, I don't know," admitted Gumshoe. "I didn't get that far. But, uh, I'm sure it couldn't have been a concerned next-door neighbor. That's something, right?"

Edgeworth spoke up. "I believe that Your Honor's question would be best answered by our next witness."

"Another witness?" The judge nodded. "Very well, Mr. Edgeworth, please call him."

Edgeworth coughed politely. "Her, Your Honor. The prosecution summons Mrs. Joy Golightly to the stand."

There was another short lull while the bailiff went to call the next witness. Eventually he returned, followed by a very attractive middle-aged woman wearing a form-fitting black dress and a very bored, disinterested look on her face. She didn't even look at the judge as she stepped up to the witness stand.

"Witness," invited Edgeworth. "Please, state your name and occupation."

The witness gave Edgeworth a long, vaguely annoyed look. "Me? Don't you already know who I am? Why else would I be here?"

Phoenix saw the little tic in Edgeworth's cheek begin to twitch. "Ahem," he coughed, "I'm asking you to introduce yourself for the benefit of the rest of this court."

The witness sighed. "Fine, okay, whatever," she drawled in a low monotone. "My name is Joy Golightly, and I'm the owner and manager of the Golightly apartments on Main Street. We have great rates. Apply today for a life of luxury." Then, she yawned.

"Mrs. Golightly," demanded Edgeworth. "Please tell us about what you witnessed on the evening of Ms. Ramone's murder."

Joy Golightly shrugged. "Huh? I didn't witness anything. I mean, nothing special happened that night. It was Halloween, right? So, most of our residents were probably either out at parties or getting all gross and drunk in their rooms. We have a no-party policy in our apartments, so nobody came in all night long. I was at the front desk from five o'clock to midnight, and not a single person showed up the whole time. It was insanely boring. I wish I could have just slept through it."

Edgeworth pointed an accusing finger at her. "And, are you certain that you didn't fall asleep? Could you have dozed off and missed something during that time?"

Mrs. Golightly gave him a defiant look. "I'm an insomniac," she muttered. "So yeah. I'm sure."

_Hold it, _thought Phoenix. _There's a contradiction, there…a pretty obvious one, actually. _

He glanced over at Edgeworth, who just shrugged and inclined his head very slightly.

_Oh, okay, _thought Phoenix. _I guess that means it's my turn. _

"Mr. Wright," announced the judge. "You may proceed with your cross examination."

Phoenix nodded. "Thank you, Your Honor."

Focusing his attention on the sour-faced Mrs. Golightly, Phoenix frowned in thought.

"Mrs. Golightly," he began, "correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you just say that not a single person entered the building between the hours of five o'clock and midnight on the evening of the murder?"

Mrs. Golightly rolled her eyes. "Yeah," she told him. "That's definitely what I said. Is there something wrong with that?"

"Well….yes, actually, there is." Phoenix nodded. "Mrs. Golightly, I know for a fact that at least one person came in during that time."

"Oh yeah?" Mrs. Golightly gave him a half-amused sort of look. "All right, Mr. Smartypants Lawyer, and who was that?"

From the prosecution's bench, Edgeworth snorted a derisive little laugh.

"Uh, well." Phoenix shrugged. "I came in around seven o'clock, didn't I?"

For a moment, Mrs. Golightly looked surprised. "You…oh."

"Right," agreed Phoenix. "I mean, I didn't kill Ms. Ramone, but I definitely walked right past the front desk around seven o'clock. I guess you must have just missed me."

Mrs. Golightly went slightly pale. "I…um…well, I-!"

"And," continued Phoenix, pointing an accusing finger at Mrs. Golightly, "I wasn't even trying to be surreptitious. If you didn't even notice when I came in, it's reasonable to assume that you might have missed someone else…someone else who may have snuck in by way of the stairwell or the back elevators, gone up to Larry's apartment and killed Ms. Ramone just before I showed up."

"Nngh!" Mrs. Golightly gritted her teeth and clenched both her thin, white hands. "N-no, of course not. That's completely stupid. I swear to you, not a single person came into the building during that time. I meant it when I said it the first time!"

"Not a single person…except me," Phoenix reminded her.

Mrs. Golightly shook her head impatiently. "I wasn't thinking about you when I said it the first time. I mean, of course, everyone already knows that you were in the building. You killed that woman, didn't you? So, obviously you were there. It didn't occur to me that I'd have to tell the court about it."

People watching from the gallery began murmuring and whispering to each other. The judge had to bang his gavel several times to quell the rising uproar.

"Anyway," insisted Mrs. Golightly, a bit too loudly, "I'm serious. Nobody else came into the building at all that night, unless it was before I got to the desk, or after I left."

Edgeworth sighed. "It is difficult to have much faith your testimony after your failure to mention Mr. Wright's arrival. It seems that you are hardly observant enough to be considered a credible witness."

"Hey," snapped Mrs. Golightly, here eyes flashing. "Are you calling me a liar?"

_Well, no, _thought Phoenix. _That's not exactly what he said. I mean, there's a big difference between being a liar, and being incredible. We just don't believe you, that's all._

"There's another possibility," he said, as various people in the gallery again began to talk amongst themselves. "I mean, let's assume, just for the moment, that Mrs. Golightly is telling the truth. Let's say that nobody else came into the building between the hours of five and midnight."

"Then…if we assume that," suggested the judge, "we'd have to assume that you are, in fact, the only possible murderer."

Phoenix shook his head. "Not at all. There's another big, pretty obvious possibility that we're all overlooking."

The judge looked interested. The hubbub in the gallery died down as everyone prepared for Phoenix's big reveal.

Instead, Phoenix turned and looked at Edgeworth.

"Mr. Edgeworth," he invited. "I'm sure you already know what I'm going to say. You have to have seen it, too."

For just a split second, Phoenix thought he saw something almost like amusement in Edgeworth's eyes.

"Yes," murmured Edgeworth. "I'm afraid it is, really, rather obvious. What's more…I believe I have another piece of evidence that might help to more effectively illustrate the point. Detective?"

"Oh, yeah, pal. I've got it right here!" Gumshoe hurried down the aisle, waving something excitedly over his head.

Phoenix grinned.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **I'm sorry, I have to stop here for the moment. I have to get some grading done. I promise to finish this chapter either today or tomorrow, once I've completed my grading.


	73. A Time for Turnabout - Four

**Author's Note: **As I promised, here's the second part of this episode!

* * *

**Chapter Four: This Ain't No Time for Regret – Part Two**

**November 2, 2030**

**11:00 AM**

**Courtroom No. 5**

"I believe," began Edgeworth, accepting whatever Gumshoe handed him, "that Mr. Wright is referring to the possibility that the murderer was already in the apartment building by the time that Mrs. Golightly took up her position at the front desk."

Mrs. Golightly just shook her head. "No one came in before five o'clock. We have a guest sign-in sheet at the front desk. Even if I'm not there, everyone who comes into the building is supposed to sign themselves in, and there's not a single signature in the book from that night."

Edgeworth gave her a disappointed sort of look.

_Yeah, well, _thought Phoenix. _If I was on my way upstairs to murder someone, I don't think I'd want to incriminate myself by signing in, first. I don't even remember seeing a guestbook…not that I bothered to look for one. I had other things on my mind…and I'm guessing the murderer did, too. _

Edgeworth held up the package that Gumshoe had handed him moments before.

"I personally spoke with the security guard at Golightly apartments," he informed the court. "and I subsequently obtained a surveillance tape, showing all activity in the building's lobby before the hour of five o'clock on October 31rst."

"Hey, pal," muttered Gumshoe. "What am I, chopped liver? I'm the one who had to go and pick it up in the middle of the night."

Edgeworth ignored him.

The judge looked impressed. "It seems to me," he said thoughtfully, 'that you have been even more than usually thorough in your investigation this time, Mr. Edgeworth. I wonder why?"

He gave Edgeworth an innocent, benevolent smile.

Edgeworth just scowled and turned away. "With all due respect, Your Honor, I have no idea what you're talking about. I am always extremely thorough."

Phoenix snorted a laugh, and felt his face suddenly start to heat up at the same time. _Yeah, well…that's true. He is. _

Edgeworth turned on him and gave him an extremely dangerous look. "Is something funny, Wright?"

"Nope, nothing," insisted Phoenix, hurriedly shaking his head and forcing back a fit of the giggles. "Sorry! Uh. Long day, that's all."

"Wait a second," interjected Mrs. Golightly, looking deeply affronted. "Who the hell told Bob he could give you guys a surveillance tape? I don't remember anybody asking me about that."

"Yeah, well," mumbled Gumshoe, shrugging. "Mr. Edgeworth can be very persuasive, sometimes, pal."

"I don't care," retorted Mrs. Golightly. "I'm in charge, here. I'm the one who's supposed to-!"

"Miles," interrupted Phoenix. "Did you watch the tape? What was on it? Did you see anyone?"

"As a matter of fact," murmured Edgeworth, "I did not. It is exactly as Mrs. Golightly says. Not a single person entered the apartment building before five o'clock. As far as I can tell, no one left the building, either."

For a moment, no one said anything.

"That's…disappointing, somehow," mused the judge. "It seems like an anticlimax."

Phoenix shook his head, and crossed both arms over his chest. "Not at all, Your Honor. I just means that there's only one possibility left."

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "Are you referring to the possibility that you did, in fact, kill Ms. Roxy Ramone?"

Phoenix winced, and rubbed nervously at the back of his neck. "Uh, no. Okay, so there are two possibilities."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow, and nodded at Phoenix." Very well. Let us here this other possibility."

_Wait, _thought Phoenix, _you already know, don't you? I'm sure you do. __  
_

He frowned at Edgeworth, who continued to wait in patient, expectant silence.

"Um_, _well," began Phoenix, "well, I think it's…actually pretty obvious. Your Honor, you already heard Miles say that-!"

He stopped, because Edgeworth was scowling at him again.

"Sorry," he corrected himself carefully, "Mr. Edgeworth. We all heard Mr. Edgeworth say that no one came into the building, and no one left the building all day on the day of the murder, right?"

The judge nodded. "Yes, that was the prosecution's claim. We seem to have eliminated the possibility that the murderer came in from outside."

"I agree," said Phoenix. "That means that the murderer must have already been in the building that morning. The defense proposes that one of the residents of the Golightly apartments took the back stairwell up or down to the second floor, went into Mr. Butz's apartment and murdered Ms. Ramone without having to bypass Mrs. Golightly, or any of the security in the front lobby."

Again, people in the gallery began to murmur and discuss.

Edgeworth just shook his head. "You have absolutely no proof or evidence of that claim," he reminded Phoenix. "At the moment, it's nothing more than baseless conjecture."

"It's no more baseless than the assumption that I must have killed her just because I was standing there when the police walked in," retorted Phoenix. "Anyway, you can't deny that it could have happened."

The judge cleared his throat." Mr. Wright, I know that is been some time since you've practiced law, but please try to remember that what 'could have happened' has no place in this courtroom. We need to know what actually DID happen, and without proof to back up your claim, I have no choice but to dismiss your 'baseless conjecture' in favor of Mr. Edgeworth's more concrete, evidence-based theory."

Phoenix stared. "Evidence? What evidence is he basing his claim on? You have no proof that I ever had anything to do with that woman."

Edgeworth coughed, and consulted his notes. "Quite the contrary," he informed Phoenix. "Your prints were the only ones found in Mr. Butz's apartment, other than those of Mr. Butz and his wife."

"So," mumbled Phoenix. "Maybe L arry killed her. Stranger things have happened…to me. Stranger things happen to me all the time, actually."

"As it turns out," continued Edgeworth, apparently totally ignoring Phoenix, "Ms. Ramone frequented the bakery that stands just next to the offices of the Wright Anything Agency. It would not be at all surprising if the two of you had encountered one another before in your day to day lives."

"Uh." Phoenix blinked." Miles, that's not evidence, and you know it."

"More importantly," Edgeworth went on, "According to the court records, Ms. Ramone served as a witness for the prosecution during a case several years ago, in which both you and Ms. Cykes stood as the defense. Prosecutor Gavin tells me that she gave you both quite a difficult time."

"I…wait, what?" No, that's not…" Phoenix stopped, bit his lip, and then shook his head. "I'm sure that's not true. I don't remember ever seeing that woman before in my life."

Edgeworth shrugged. "What you remember isn't important. The truth is in the records. You two have faced each other in a courtroom. You have good reason to harbor some animosity."

"I'm not like that!" Phoenix could feel himself losing the upper hand as the case slipped away from him. "I don't 'harbor animosity' towards anybody! Besides, I already told you, I don't remember her at all!"

Edgeworth wagged a condescending finger at him. "That is hardly something to be proud of. I remember everyone that I have ever faced in a courtroom. It may be time to face the fact that you are getting old and losing your mental faculties, Wright."

"Objection!" Phoenix slammed both hands down on the bench and glared at Edgeworth. "I am not old!"

Edgeworth, too, slammed his fists down on the bench and pointed an accusing finger directly at Phoenix's forehead. "Are you so certain? Over the course of the last hour, I have noticed not one but two grey hairs in the center of your precious, curly forelock!"

"I…what? N-no, that's not possible!" Phoenix grabbed his curl and tried to look at it without crossing his eyes. "I do not have a grey hair! I'm too young to have a grey hair! I…GAH!"

His head started to hurt from trying to stare at something right between his eyes, and he had to shut both eyes and take a deep breath for a moment while the judge cleared his throat.

"Gentlemen, please," began the judge. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a few grey hairs. I myself have-! Well, no, I don't have any anymore, but once upon a time, when I was much younger, I was quite proud of my grey hairs. I thought they made me look quite distinguished."

On the witness stand, Joy Golightly yawned. "Can I go, now?"

Edgeworth turned and jabbed his accusing finger at her, this time. "No," he informed her, "you may not! Witness, I have one final thing to which I'd like to draw your attention. Detetive!"

From the aisle behind the prosecution's bench, Gumshoe appeared.

"Here you go, Mr. Edgeworth," sighed Gumshoe, sounding tired. "This is the last one, right?"

Grabbing whatever it was out of Gumshoe's hand, Edgeworth brandished it triumphantly before the court.

"I have here," he announced, "a recording of the phone call placed by a mysterious and unnamed woman to the police department after seven o'clock on the evening of October 31rst!"

"Oh…yeah?" Phoenix perked up a little bit, and temporarily let go of his maligned curl. "That's great."

"Is it?" The judge looked confused. "I won't even ask. I assume you're going to tell me what's so 'great' about this piece of evidence."

"Allow me," said Phoenix. "We've already established that the murder must have been committed by a resident of the Golightly apartments, right?"

Edgeworth shook his head. "No," he reminded Phoenix. "We still have yet to prove that you could not have done it."

Phoenix shot Edgeworth a dirty look. "Right. Yes. Anyway, as I was saying; assuming, for the moment, that I didn't do it, then the murderer must have been a resident. We can't prove that. We can, however, prove that a resident of the Golightly apartments called and reported the murder only minutes after it took place, claiming to be a next-door neighbor."

"I think it might be very valuable," murmured Edgeworth, "for this court to hear testimony from the woman who placed this phone call. She may be able to shed some light on what really took place that night."

The judge nodded. "That seems reasonable enough. However, we still do not know who this woman is."

Edgeworth looked at Phoenix, who turned to look at the witness.

"Mrs. Golightly," he began. "How well would you say that you know the people who live in your building?"

Mrs. Golightly looked surprised, and then shrugged. "Uh, well enough, I guess. I mean, I see them all once a month, to make sure they pay their rent on time. "

"Do you think," interrupted Edgeworth, "that you would recognize the voice of any one of your tenants if you heard it?"

The judge looked startled. "Oh…Oh! I see!"

"Huh. " Mrs. Golightly frowned in thought. "Well, I don't know. Maybe? Or…maybe not. I mean it's not as though we spend a lot of time together. To be honest with you, I can't stand most of them."

"It's worth a try," insisted Phoenix. "Miles, what kind of a recording is that?"

Edgeworth examined it for a moment. "I appears to have been recorded on compact disk."

"Compact..?" Phoenix frowned. "Seriously? Couldn't Gumshoe have just recorded it on his phone, or something? How are we going to play that in the courtroom?"

"I have no idea." Edgeworth snapped. "I have prepared the evidence for you. It is in your best interest, rather than mine, to determine a means of deciphering it."

"Sheesh," muttered Phoenix. "I don't know what I was expecting. You probably still listen to all of your music on that ancient record player you got online."

Edgeworth coughed. "That's irrelevant."

"Hah. I knew it." Phoenix sighed. "Okay, fine. Um…Your Honor, you don't happen to have a laptop computer or something with you, do you?"

It took some time for them to locate a CD player. Eventually, the bailiff was forced to provide his own, personal laptop, which the judge propped up on his bench while he fiddled with the CD.

"Ah," he said finally, "I think I've got it, now. Are we all ready?"

He pushed the 'play' button, and the laptop began emitting what sounded like static.

_Please tell me that's not all we get, _thought Phoenix. _This really needs to be some kind of clue, or I might be in some serious trouble._

Finally, a woman's voice spoke on the recording.

"Um," she began in a high-pitched and almost over-frantic tone, "Officer? Officer? Yes, is this the police? Oh my gosh I'm so glad! I heard screaming, like a lot of screaming! I think a woman's being murdered in apartment 212! What? Yeah, that's what I said, mur-dered! You know, like, killed? Like, shot to death? What? I already told you, apartment 212 at the Golightly Apartments on Main Street! Omigosh, please come quick, I'm really so totally freaking out!"

Suddenly, there was a clicking sound, as though the woman hung up. The static instantly came back, and the judge stopped the recording.

_Wait a second, _thought Phoenix, frozen with surprise. _I…I'm pretty sure I know that voice. I mean, this sounds kind of crazy, but…_

He glanced over at Edgeworth, who was gritting his teeth and shaking his head.

"Of course," he was muttering to himself. "I should have guessed."

"Hey, Miles," began Phoenix. "Was that-?"

"Yes," agreed Edgeworth, cutting him off. "I'm afraid so."

"Oh my god," exclaimed Mrs. Golightly. "I know that voice. I'd know that voice anywhere. It's one of the most annoying voices I've ever heard in my life. I…can't STAND that woman, but I know who she is."

Phoenix sighed. "So do we," he admitted. "If something smells…"

"…it is mostly likely to be the Butz," finished Edgeworth. "In this case…it is Mrs. Jelanda Butz. I believe it was her voice on the recording that we heard just now, correct?"

"Um…right." Mrs. Golightly nodded. "Yeah, that's…I'm pretty sure that was her."

Phoenix buried his face in his hands.

_Figures, _he thought.

**Fin.**

* * *

**Author's End Note: **This episode is almost over! Sorry that it's such a long one. I wanted a compelling initial case for this story.

I know that the case is a little convoluted and slightly strange, but I hope that just makes it more reminiscent of the Ace Attorney themes.

Oh, and I'm going to post a discussion question, today. You guys seemed to be enjoying those before (stop me if I'm reading that wrong.)

Today's question:

**Which canon good guy (major or minor) would be able to pull off the best crime?**

Diego Armando doesn't count. That's cheating.


	74. A Time for Turnabout - Five

**Author's Note: **Dear lord, it's been one hell of a busy week. I can't wait for this week to be over, so that I can have some more time to write, and maybe to clean my house and to do some of my grad school homework. That'd...probably be good.

For now, though, it's been a few days since I've updated, so let's see if I can get something out tonight.

**Chapter Five: If We Keep Looking Backwards, We'll Break Our Necks**

**November 2, 2030**

**7:00 PM**

**The Detention Center**

The trial ended soon after Mrs. Golightly identified the voice on the phone call. Both the prosecution and the defense agreed that the court required testimony from Mrs. Jelanda Butz, and court was subsequently adjourned until the following day to give Edgeworth and the police some time to track her down.

Phoenix, of course, returned to his cell at the Detention Center, where he sat for a long while with his head in his hands, trying to make sense of everything they'd learned during that morning's trial.

_Jelanda Butz, _he thought. _She's…well, she's perfect for Larry_. _She's probably the closest thing we could get to a female version of Larry, which is…maybe the scariest thought I've ever had. Actually…now that I think about it, Miles and I have both had trouble with her, before. She's turned up in court twice, now…and last time, Miles was there, too. Well…Miles was there, and I wasn't. That case was what started this whole mess in the first place. If I hadn't let Larry down back then, maybe I wouldn't have felt so obligated to show up when he emailed me this time._

Something skittered squeakily across the floor of the cell, and Phoenix winced and pulled his feet up onto the cot, crossing his legs and watching warily for any sign of roaches or rats.

_Nah, _he thought, sighing to himself. _Who am I kidding? For some reason, I always come running when Larry calls. It's not _like_ I really owe the guy that much. I mean…as it turns out, he's the whole reason I got accused of being a thief all those years ago durin_g _the class trial. It's all his fault that I had to go through that, but…on the other hand, if it hadn't been for him, I'd never have become a defense attorney._

Shifting himself a little bit on the uncomfortable cot, he settled back against the wall, and closed his eyes, thinking of the big, dark circles he'd seen that day under Edgeworth's eyes_._

_And, _he reminded himself, _if it hadn't been for Larry, I'd never have really gotten to know Miles. Come to think of it, Larry's been just as much trouble for Miles at this point as he has been for me. _

In the back of Phoenix's head, Edgeworth scowled at him.

_Oh, sorry, _he thought sadly. _I meant…Mr. Edgeworth. _

Those same, uncertain, nostalgic feelings began creeping back into his chest, and he was just about to start feeling sorry for himself when the cell door opened, and Teddy the prison guard appeared, looking harassed.

"Uh," he mumbled "Mr. Wright…you have a visitor."

Phoenix stood up. "Maya's back? Great, there was something I wanted to-!"

"N-no, it's not Miss Fey." For some reason, Teddy looked even more nervous than usual. "Actually, um…i-it's the Chief Prosecutor. He's waiting in the visitor's room."

_Miles? _ Phoenix was surprised. _He's back? Huh…somehow, I figured he'd be too busy to waste his time on a chat with the defendant._

His heart began beating a little bit faster, and suddenly he was a lot more awake and alive than he'd been only moments before.

"Well," he said brightly, shrugging at Teddy, "then_, _let's go see what he wants."

Teddy led Phoenix into the visitor's room, where found Edgeworth sitting stiffly on the other sid_e _of the glass partition.

Before settling into the chair, Phoenix caught himself wondering about that alleged grey hair that had caused such a heated debate in court that day. Awkwardly, he tried smoothing the curl back out of his face, and when that didn't work he tried tucking it behind an ear. It kept bouncing right back to the middle of his forehead, and suddenly, Phoenix felt old. He wondered if he was really sweating as heavily as he felt like he was.

_Why, _he wondered, _is it so hot in here? It's already November. Even with the air conditioning off for the season, it shouldn't be this bad…_

"Wright," muttered Edgeworth, once Phoenix had taken his place in the prisoner's chair.

"Hey," said Phoenix. "Um…nice work in court, today."

Edgeworth inclined his head in a curt little bow. "You were tolerably skillful as well. Your bluffs were slightly less infuriating than usual. Perhaps you're losing your touch."

Phoenix snorted a laugh. "I'm gonna go ahead and take that as a compliment."

"Do as you please," mumbled Edgeworth. "In any case, I didn't come here to praise you. I wanted to inform you that I received a visit just now in my office, from Ms. Cykes, Mr. Justice, and both of the Ms. Feys. They asked me for my permission to investigate on your behalf."

"Oh, yeah?" Phoenix frowned "Well…that's awfully nice of them, but isn't tomorrow the third day of the trial?"

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "As I understand it, Ms. Cykes and Mr. Justice were out of the country until this morning."

Phoenix had to think about that for a moment. _Oh, right, _he realized. _Yeah, now that he mentions it, I think Athena wrote Trucy a letter about that. They went to visit her cousins, or_ _something. I wonder how she managed to rope Apollo into going with her? I'll have to ask him how it went, if I ever get out of here. _

"You'll have to thank them for me," said Phoenix. "This must have been a shock for Athena and Apollo. I mean…I didn't even tell them I was in town."

"You can thank them yourself," retorted Edgeworth, "assuming all goes according to plan."

"Wait," asked Phoenix, "Whose plan? My plan? Aren't we supposed to e on opposing sides?"

Edgeworth scowled at him. "Don't quibble, Wright. Theoretically, we are both on the side of justice."

For a moment, Phoenix just stared at him. Then, he burst out laughing.

"I can't believe you just said that," he managed around a fit of giggles "That's…it sounds like something from one of Maya's TV shows. 'The Steel Samurai is always on the side of justice!'"

Edgeworth flushed deeply. "Y-you were the one that first suggested we work together," he accused Phoenix. "You cajoled me with that silver lawyer's tongue of yours into agreeing to further your goals."

"Hey, I appreciate it," said Phoenix hurriedly. "I would have been in serious trouble without you, today, that's for sure. I just think you picked a funny way of phrasing it."

Edgeworth sighed. "I have yet to hear a 'thank you,'" he muttered, "but you're welcome, I suppose."

He shook his head and turned away, sour-faced and obviously uncomfortable.

"Hey," said Phoenix. "Come on, don't make that face. It wasn't all bad, right? It was kind of a thrill, being back in court again."

"I am in court at least once a week," retorted Edgeworth, "and I am not making a face. This is just my face. It always looks this way."

Phoenix wagged an admonitory finger at him. "No it doesn't. I've seen all sorts of your faces. You've got a lot of good ones."

Edgeworth flushed a deep purple, and unexpectedly looked very, very angry. "H-how can you say such a ridiculously lewd thing at a time like this?"

"A time like what?" Phoenix blinked. _I don't get it. Why is he getting so worked up? I mean…I know it's kind of awkward to have to deal with an ex-lover so soon after a breakup, but…he's the one who left ME. What does HE have to be angry about? I'm just trying to be friendly. _

"Preposterous," mumbled Edgeworth under his breath. "No…nevermind. I refuse to rise to your bait, Phoenix Wright. I will not be made a fool of."

"Now you're starting to talk like your sister," returned Phoenix. "At least you used my first name this time, sort of."

Edgeworth said nothing. If anything he just looked more annoyed.  
"Uh…by the way," added Phoenix, conscious of how heavy the mood had become. "How is Franziska? Still in Germany?"

It was a moment before Edgeworth responded. Eventually, he let out an exasperated little breath, and turned to face Phoenix again.

"No," he muttered. "As a matter of fact, she's in California at the moment, doing some consulting, as I understand. She's in perfect health, thank you."

"Oh," mumbled Phoenix. "That's good. Yeah…send her my best, if you see her."

"She hates you," Edgeworth informed him.

Phoenix shrugged. "Sure, but that's not news."

Phoenix opened his mouth to say something else, but the pained look on Edgeworth's face was just a little bit too much. Edgeworth really did look tired, maybe even more tired than he seemed had in court, and now he was again actively avoiding meeting Phoenix's eyes.

Phoenix sighed. "Miles…look, uh-!"

"I have a favor to ask," interrupted Edgeworth quietly. His cheek was now twitching spasmodically again.

"A favor?" Phoenix frowned. "Sure, I guess I owe you one."

"Don't be so quick to make promises," snapped Edgeworth, turning on him. "I have not yet told you what the favor is."

"Right," agreed Phoenix. "But…I assume you're going to do that, now."

"Y…yes." Edgeworth took a deep breath, and then cleared his throat. "I would like for you to tell me why it is that you really returned to Los Angeles."

Phoenix blinked. "Huh? Didn't I already-?"

"You informed me last evening," continued Edgeworth stiffly, "that there was something you wished to ask me; something apparently important enough to drag you away from your life in Boston. I would like to know what that 'something' is."

He paused, expectantly.

Phoenix shrugged. "I'm going to tell you, obviously. It's no big secret, it's just…this isn't really the best time for us to be having that conversation."

"I disagree," muttered Edgeworth. "I'm not interested in playing your games."

"It's not a game," insisted Phoenix. "I'm not trying to jerk you around, I'm just worried about what will happen at tomorrow's trial if we don't keep our heads in the game. We need to be focusing on solving this murder, right now, and anything else would just be a distraction. It's my life on the line, so I'm sorry, but that's kind of a big deal."

He smiled in hopes of taking the edge out of his words.

Edgeworth just looked frustrated. "This isn't like you," he mumbled. "You're…usually significantly more impulsive than this. I find this role reversal very jarring."

"Yeah, well, I learned from the best about how to stay rational and on-target," returned Phoenix. "Anyway, we'll talk after the trial tomorrow either way, okay?"

For a moment, Edgeworth looked as though he was going to protest. Then he deflated, shaking his head.

"Very well, then," he muttered, with bad grace.

Phoenix thought for a moment, and then suggested, "hey, here's an idea. Why don't we get some dinner after the trial? It'll be my treat, to thank you for not letting them execute me. How's that sound?"

He was honestly expecting Edgeworth just to scowl and blow him off, but instead Edgeworth froze, opened his mouth, closed it again, and then turned back to face Phoenix with an uncertain sort of look in his eyes.

"You…" He paused, cleared his throat, and then started again. "Are you asking me to join you for dinner?"

"Huh? Yeah, sure." Phoenix nodded. "Why not? We used to do stuff like that all time, back in the old days. It'll be fun…um. Well, sort of."

_Yeah, _he thought. _We had a good time together, before everything changed between us. I mean...even before we started, uh…having feelings for one another, we were pretty good friends. Kind of a strange pair, maybe, but we used to meet up for dinner after successful trials. We even went to a few of Trucy's magic shows together, and I know that Miles was just humoring me, then, because he doesn't even like magic. It'd be nice to go back to the way things were. We were a lot more comfortable, back then._

He tried to tell himself that he'd enjoy just being friends and maybe courtroom rivals with Edgeworth again; that a relationship like that could be just as satisfying now as it had been years before. There was a nagging little voice in the back of his mind trying to tell him that he was fooling himself and that denial wasn't going to help either of them, but he grimaced and forced himself to shut it out.

"Anyway," he asked, as that familiar pain twinged in his chest. "What do you say, huh? Dinner tomorrow? It'll be for old time's sake."

For a long moment, Edgeworth said nothing. Then, very slowly, he nodded.

"V-very well," he mumbled. "Assuming you survive tomorrow's ordeal, then yes, I will accept your invitation."

With that, Edgeworth stood up, turned on his heel, and made for the door.

"Hey, wait," called Phoenix through the glass. "You're seriously going to let me treat you?"

Edgeworth shrugged. "If you like."

He left, and Phoenix sat alone in the visitor's room for a couple of moments longer, waiting for Teddy to arrive and to escort him back to his cell.

_You know what, _he thought, suddenly feeling like smiling despite the predicament he was in, _I think this might be the first time Miles has ever agreed to let me take HIM out…_

**Fin.**

**Author's End Note: **Just a little middle-of-the-day character-driven chapter that I really wanted to write. The plot will move itself along tomorrow when I get a chance to sit down and finish the end of the trial.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this little ex-lovers moment.

Now I have to go and finish the second half of my parent-teacher conferences for the first quarter. Oh, joy.

Today's discussion question:

**What is Athena's extended family like? **

**Please note, I am talking about the family that Athena may have gone to once her mother passé. d away**

**Metis Cykes does NOT count. **


End file.
